


Love Child

by Katef



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Sentinel/Guide Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 64,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25067251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katef/pseuds/Katef
Summary: In a world where sentinels and guides are known, newly online sentinel Detective Jim Ellison meets his perfect match only to find that the young man isn't quite what either of them expected.
Relationships: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Comments: 70
Kudos: 103





	1. Part 1: A Trick of Fate

**Love Child _by Katef June 2020_**   


**Part 1: A Trick of Fate:**  


**Naomi:**  


**August 1969, San Francisco, CA:**  


Seventeen year old Naomi Sandburg gazed critically at the reflection in her mirror, tossing her lustrous, long red hair over her shoulder as she pulled the material of her floating kaftan tightly around her body in order to check out her silhouette. Turning sideways on, she was gratified to note that her slender figure was almost back to normal, and she grinned in satisfaction at the virtually flat belly and long legs outlined against the background sunshine even as she noted the rather larger breasts. And she didn’t resent those at all, especially as she knew that eventually they would return to normal soon enough. After she had finished breast feeding her baby, that was. 

Turning her head, she smiled softly at the innocent cause of her physical changes. At three months, little Blair was sleeping soundly in his woven Moses basket, having just fed greedily, and looked totally adorable with his soft, dark fuzz of hair. She knew that she was lucky insofar as he was such an easy baby to care for, having seen others in their commune who were far from cooperative, but even so, she couldn’t help but frown a little anyway. Oh, she loved him dearly, and was so very glad that she’d decided to keep him, but sometimes she was just the tiniest bit resentful of the responsibility of being a single mom at such a young age, even with the willing support of her friends. But at the end of the day, he was hers, and hers alone, and her maternal possessiveness pushed aside the fleeting discontent. She was proud of her life choices, and was happy with the companionship of her community. What was past was past and done, and she had no intention of looking back. 

Just then, a tap on the door announced the arrival of her best friend Mia. Mia was a few months older than Naomi, and had a serious crush on the younger woman, especially since Blair was born. They had met up at a music festival the previous summer, just after Naomi left home, and had travelled together ever since, along with their loosely-knit group of like-minded, free-spirited hippies. And Mia had made it very clear that she wanted a baby of her own. She adored kids, and was therefore more than willing to share in the care and comfort of the several children in the present community, and a grateful Naomi, like the other mothers, trusted her implicitly. 

“Wow, Nay, you look stunning! Are you wearing that for the concert tomorrow?” 

Naomi grinned at her friend. “Yes, Mia. I’m really looking forward to it, too, aren’t you? It’s supposed to be one of the biggest love-ins yet to be held in Golden Gate Park, and Wallace says I should think of it as a belated birthday party!” 

“Then so you should, honey,” her friend replied warmly. “But I was wondering if you wanted me to take Blair with me to the playground? I’m taking Sunflower’s and Marigold’s kids, and it would be no trouble to take Blair too. Give you an hour or so to yourself before the next feeding time?” 

Naomi’s smile brightened. “Oh, that would be lovely, Mia! If you really don’t mind? I wanted to try a few of those new meditation techniques Wallace showed me, and I’d really appreciate a quiet time to practice. Blair should sleep for a while longer, and he’s been changed already.” 

Mia smiled fondly down at the sleeping infant as she picked up the Moses basket. “No problem at all, honey. I don’t mind at all if he wakes up. The weather’s so nice it’ll do him the world of good, and he’s such a delight to entertain. See you soon, honey!” and she turned to go, leaving a contentedly smiling Naomi behind her. 

Humming softly, Naomi settled down in a graceful lotus position on her futon mattress, preparing to begin the relaxation techniques required to meditate. However, before she began to systematically clear her mind and regulate her breathing, she allowed herself a few minutes’ of quiet reflection, contemplating her life’s journey thus far. She began by considering her present location and situation, happy with her ruminations since she fully believed that she was fulfilling her true destiny just like Wallace and her friends insisted. The rambling, slightly dilapidated house in the Haight-Ashbury district which the small community shared was a happy place, filled with music, light and love, where money was of minimal importance as long as there was enough to eat and drink. And it didn’t hurt that the large, well-lit and airy attic sufficed as the perfect nursery for growing cannabis so that there was always a ready supply of recreational, soft drugs on hand. The property actually belonged to Wallace Beery, their nominal leader, who had inherited it from his estranged parents just before the Summer of Love in 1967. Although he personally had no use for material possessions, he was happy to share with those who needed a refuge, or simply a space in which to lay their head, and thus a fluid commune developed. 

Naomi and a group of travelling companions had arrived in late April, just before Blair was born, and she couldn’t help but recall the months leading up to that momentous point in her short life. Not that it had been an easy journey, but it had ultimately been worthwhile in her opinion.  


**Summer, 1968: Boston, MA:**  


Fifteen year old Naomi stared at the closed door of her bedroom, her pretty face marred by a mutinous pout. _How dare they? How **dare** they treat her like this? Like a recalcitrant toddler ordered to take a time out? Goddess! She was nearly sixteen, so why shouldn’t she be allowed to wear makeup and dress like her friends? And **everyone** she knew would be going to the music festival in the park! It just wasn’t fair! _

She flounced over to her bed and flopped down on it, tears of frustration running down her cheeks. It wasn’t to be borne, and she was more determined than ever to do something about it. 

The problem, as far as she was concerned, was that her parents either couldn’t or wouldn’t see her point of view. Both of an orthodox Jewish persuasion, their concept of an acceptable lifestyle was so much different from hers. They expected her to be the dutiful, obedient daughter, living a life bounded by religious restrictions and obligations, and she absolutely refused to do it any longer. Goddess! They even had a prospective husband picked out for her from their community, and no way was _that_ happening, no sir! She could see it now. She’d end up just like her older sister Maryam, tied to an autocratic older shopkeeper in a loveless union, doomed to live her life under her husband’s thumb and produce equally narrow-minded, unambitious and obedient children. 

No, whatever it took, she intended to enjoy this summer, and as soon as she was sixteen, she was out of here. She already knew how she would do it - it was just a matter of time - so she would play along with them for a few more weeks, allowing them to believe that she had come to her senses, so to speak, and then she would be gone. And good riddance to them both! 

Over the next weeks, once the long summer break was well underway, Naomi managed; by means of utilising a combination of subtle subterfuge, the cooperation of willing friends and outright mendacity where necessary; to enjoy far more of the free-spirited and easy-going local hippy scene than her parents would ever have anticipated, the whole episode coming to a head on her sixteenth birthday. 

That day, having dutifully and gracefully suffered through her family’s low-key ‘celebrations’, she had made an excuse to retire early pleading a headache. As soon as she deemed it safe, she had dressed in her best outfit from her hidden cache of decidedly more outlandish clothing, stuffed the rest into a duffle bag and made up her face before shoving the cosmetics into the bag also, along with her few pieces of jewellery, toiletries and the money she had squirreled away over the preceding weeks and months. Climbing stealthily out of her bedroom window, she shinned down the drainpipe in a well-rehearsed manoeuvre, and headed for the park where the music festival and love-in was in full swing. There she met up with her fellow conspirators, and after stashing her few possessions in one of her friend’s camper vans, she threw herself whole-heartedly into the entertainment. 

In all honesty, she could never recall fully what happened that night. She was free, happy, wild with exhilaration and high on life, drugs and alcohol. She was feeling no pain, and although she was well aware afterwards that she had lost her virginity that night, she had no recollection of who did the deed, or, indeed, if there was more than one. And it had to be said that she couldn’t have cared less. And the following morning, as soon as they had packed up, she joined the small group heading west, their goal to cross the country until they reached their Nirvana, otherwise known as San Francisco, cultural home of the hippy movement. 

It wasn’t an easy trip, on account of the length of time involved, and the distance they had to cover, but for the most part it was an enjoyable time, with Naomi enraptured by the sights and sounds she encountered en route, as well as the many like-minded people she met. Her horizons had broadened in a way in which she could never have conceived, and she embraced each and every new experience with open arms. 

However, it wasn’t too far into the journey when she discovered that she was pregnant, and that had created a whole new set of problems for her. At first automatically deciding to terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible, after talking it through with her new, adopted ‘family’, she began to reconsider. Apart from the fact that the belief was instilled in her that all life should be considered as precious, the baby would be her very own, and she had the chance to raise him or her in a life of freedom and opportunity. Her child would be a child of the world, not restricted and subdued like she had been, and there was no need for the added complication of a father, even if she knew who it might have been. 

Truth be told, it had been an easy pregnancy, and when she and her companions had arrived in San Fran, within days they had met up with Wallace and taken him up on his invitation to stay with him for as long as they liked. By then uncomfortably heavy and nearing her likely delivery date, Naomi had accepted with great relief, especially since by that time she had a close friend and confidante in Mia, who had promised to see her through the actual birth. 

And she had been as good as her word, and although Naomi could hardly say that it was a pain-free delivery, it was natural and uncomplicated, and the resulting healthy baby boy immediately captured her heart. She had already chosen a gender-neutral name, and ‘Blair’ suited him perfectly.  


\-------------------  


Thoughts returning to the present, Naomi sighed in satisfaction, her reminiscing done for now as she concentrated on slowing her breathing and murmuring her favourite mantra. Much practice over the past months ensured that she soon entered that quiet place at her centre; a necessary requirement for a meditative state. However, her mood was broken abruptly when her door burst open to reveal the distraught figure of her friend Mia, hair awry and tears streaming down her pretty face. And her heart nearly stopped in shock and terror when she absorbed the other girl’s stricken, garbled confession. 

“Oh, Nay! I’m so sorry! I don’t know how, but Blair’s gone! I swear I only took my eyes off him a moment, and he’s gone!” 

Within minutes, the whole extended group had gathered together in the common room to comfort the deeply shocked and distressed young mother, and a tearful and guilt-ridden Mia explained what had happened. She told them that she had been sitting on a park bench with a still sleeping Blair beside her in his Moses basket, watching the other children playing together in the playground. However, Marigold’s young son, already renowned for being a headstrong and somewhat disobedient child, took it into his head to jump off the top of the slide, and unsurprisingly hurt himself. Although more frightened than actually injured, his yells of pain and outrage had nevertheless terrified Mia, who immediately ran to comfort him, and in the few minutes it took to calm him down and lead him back to the bench, someone had taken the baby from his basket. Gathering the other children together, Mia had searched the immediate area, growing more and more panic-stricken, but no one she saw or spoke to had admitted to seeing anything. Rushing home, she had gone immediately to Naomi to deliver the awful news. 

“We have to call the police!” wailed Naomi, frantic with worry. “He could be anywhere! I have to find him!” 

However, the reaction she received to her demand was rather different than she had expected, and met with overwhelming disbelief and denial. Although their concern and sympathy was undoubtedly genuine, no one there trusted the ‘pigs’; and they couldn’t involve cops anyway without risking their illegal cannabis crop being discovered. On the other hand, they all volunteered to set out immediately to scour the neighbourhood and put the word out amongst their network of friends, but no way could they go through the usual channels. And although it broke her heart, Naomi understood where they were coming from and reluctantly agreed; her trust in them implicit. 

And perhaps because of that naïve acceptance, that was the last she was to see of her baby.   


\-------------------------  


**Daniel Francis:**  


One week previously – Lake Tahoe, CA:   


Leaning on the balustrade, Daniel Francis looked out over the stunning view from the deck of his family’s luxurious summer retreat, although the beauty of the scene was lost on him for the present. Instead, his mind was on other things, not the least of which was concern for his wife, who was stretched out listlessly on a comfortable recliner behind him, her on-going depression and black mood almost palpable. Oh, Suzanne was quiet enough, and posed no physical threat to him or to anyone but perhaps herself, but her very presence was enough to challenge the patience of even the most sympathetic companions after a while, which was why Daniel’s parents had ‘suggested’ that he take his wife away for an extended break for the good of her health. Although he was fond enough of her in his way, theirs had never been a love match, and despite his sympathy for her, this enforced isolation irritated him no end. He should have been back in Cascade, working in his family’s business and spending quality time at the Country Club, not kicking his heels out here in the relative ‘wilderness’ of Lake Tahoe. 

Glancing back at her when Suzanne sighed softly, he did acknowledge a tug of real sympathy. She had simply never recovered her spirits after the still-birth of their first child almost a year ago now, and he couldn’t truly blame her for that since it had affected him deeply also. But perhaps he had cause to hope that there would soon be some compensation forthcoming which might offer healing for them both. All he needed was confirmation, and with luck, that should be coming shortly. He just needed to be patient for a little longer, hard thought that was, but in the meantime, all he could do was let his thoughts roam free. 

At twenty six years of age, Daniel was the only son and heir to his family’s company; a thriving and still-expanding business empire that had grown from the very first efforts of his enterprising pioneer great grandparents. Although it had since diversified into several other fields, including manufacturing, importing and real estate, it had initially begun life as a general store opened in the newly established township of Cascade, WA, during the expansion westwards of settlers seeking a new life for themselves and their families. Douglas and Mary-Ellen Francis had travelled by wagon train across the wilderness, enduring incredible hardships along with their fellow pioneers, but all doggedly determined to create a future for themselves in the pristine lands that were theirs for the taking. However, unlike many of their companions, the couple had no interest in either farming or prospecting. Instead, Douglas had packed his wagons with as many useful products and necessities as possible, with the intention of setting up a store in the little frontier town. And from the moment it had opened, they had never looked back, especially once the coming of the railroads opened up the country ever more rapidly. 

As Cascade had developed and prospered, so had the Francis family’s fortune and reputation; such that they were now considered ‘old money’ in Cascade terms; and highly respected in social and business circles. And Daniel was well aware of his own good fortune and status, having enjoyed all the benefits of a privileged upbringing. However, it did have its minor drawbacks, and one of them was in the shape of the despondent young woman lying behind him. 

Sighing internally, he considered his wife as objectively as possible. After all, like him, she was merely the product of her class, following the prescribed route set out for her by determined, moneyed parents. Tall, attractive and reasonably bright, Suzanne had also enjoyed an exclusive, private education, going on to acquire the obligatory Liberal Arts degree before ‘coming out’ to Cascade’s social elite. As the only daughter of one of Daniel’s father’s business associates, she and Daniel had known each other since childhood, and they rubbed along well enough, such that when both sets of parents proposed a union between their offspring to consolidate their business empires, neither young person had any reason not to go along with the plan. After all, they made a handsome couple for the society gossip columns, and their marriage didn’t impinge overmuch on their own chosen lifestyles; both following their own preferred pastimes and career – in Daniel’s case, at least - and maintaining a polite, respectable front for their families and acquaintances. And of course said families and acquaintances were more than satisfied when the couple did their familial duty and within months Suzanne announced that she was pregnant. 

Of course, Daniel was very proud of his wife, but was also perfectly happy to take advantage of her ‘condition’, insofar as seeking elsewhere for his sexual gratification. He was well aware that she was perfectly content to be left to her own devices as long as there was no hint of scandal involved, and that had been the state of play when Daniel was required by his father to attend an important business conference in Boston the previous summer. 

As an eager, up-and-coming young member of the Board, Daniel had jumped at the chance, and he allowed himself a wry grin as he recalled that momentous trip. 

The conference itself had been hard work, but very productive; and also allowed plenty of down-time in which the delegates could enjoy the city’s attractions. Taking advantage of the opportunity to let his hair down for a change, figuratively speaking, Daniel had accepted an invitation from one of the younger local delegates to attend the free music festival in the park. Although far from the norm in terms of Daniel’s usual means of relaxation, curiosity compelled him to see for himself what the so-called hippy, ‘free love’ scene was all about. And from an objective standpoint, he had been absolutely fascinated. 

Far too self-important and prosaic to indulge in the freely-available drugs, yet he and his new friend cynically took advantage of the blissed-out and sexually uninhibited hippy girls they encountered, one of whom actually enchanted him temporarily with her freshness and charm. Looking back, he knew that he should have felt guilty about taking the girl’s virginity, but since she had been pretty much out of it by then, and apparently not at all concerned, he had put it from his mind. After all, it wasn’t as if he would ever see her again, and had no intention of attending another such festival. 

However, little did he realise then how important that brief encounter would turn out to be, and in particular, the unplanned product of their casual union.   


\--------------------------  


Returning to Cascade and his heavily pregnant wife, Daniel had quickly resumed his life only to have his complacency abruptly destroyed when Suzanne went into premature labour. Although there was no apparent medical reason for the tragedy, their son was still-born after a short but painful delivery, and even though the mother survived the ordeal with few apparent physical side-effects, her mental state was not unnaturally very disturbed, and time and expensive therapy hadn’t improved it at all. 

After several months of trying to come to terms with Suzanne’s determinedly lingering depression, Daniel found himself reminiscing about the delights of his dalliance in the park. Whereas before he had had little interest in the identity or fate of the girl he had deflowered, latterly he began to wistfully recall her exuberant and generous love-making. However, even then it had been but a fleeting notion, designed to assuage his present sexual frustration until his friend from Boston contacted him out of the blue with a titbit of local gossip that he thought might be of interest. What he sent was in fact a fax of a ‘Missing Person’ poster circulated shortly after the conference, and the pretty, red-headed girl smiling out at him from the photograph was none other than Daniel’s conquest from the festival. Apparently her name was Naomi Sandburg, and she had just turned sixteen when she had disappeared without trace from her home in a respectable, middle class Boston suburb. 

Suddenly certain that it was more than a coincidence, even though he could never have explained how he knew it, Daniel decided that he would try and trace the girl clandestinely, employing a discreet Private Investigator of his acquaintance. Even so, so much time had elapsed before there was any word of her likely whereabouts that Daniel had almost forgotten about the whole issue when only a couple of weeks ago the PI had finally contacted him with some worthwhile information. 

Well worth his considerable fee, the man had diligently searched for clues as to her possible destination after fleeing Boston, and had finally turned up trumps when a source in San Francisco had sent him a tentative ID. It appeared that Ms Sandburg had not only arrived in the city in the springtime, but she was also very pregnant, and the fact that she had given birth in May utterly convinced Daniel that the child had to be his. 

Determined now to secure the child for himself and for Suzanne, Daniel set plans in motion to discover the exact location of the young mother, and ascertain the sex and health of her baby. Having received the required - very satisfactory - information, and totally focussed on acquiring the baby boy, he ruthlessly quashed any guilty feelings he might have had over the distress the girl was likely to suffer. He salved his conscience by telling himself that the child would be so much better served being brought up in a wealthy and privileged environment; surely infinitely preferable to any life an itinerant teenage single mother could provide. He even went as far as convincing himself that he was doing her a favour in relieving her of the responsibility of unplanned motherhood and a bastard child. 

Unwilling to go to the trouble of trying to obtain custody by legal means; since it would undoubtedly be an unnecessarily protracted process, and he was sure that the girl would have no worthwhile support system to fall back on anyway; he arranged to have the baby snatched and delivered to him here at Lake Tahoe, and if it was an overt abuse of power and wealth, then so be it. 

And so it was that a matter of mere days later, a beautiful baby boy was placed in the welcoming arms of Suzanne Francis, and Blair Sandburg became Benjamin Francis II, named for his paternal grandfather.   


\--------------------  


**Ben / Blair:**  


**20 years later, Sierra Verde, Mexico: The Temple of the Sentinels:**  


“Hey, Ben, man! You still not done yet? Are you going to be up there all day?” The cheerfully sardonic young voice carried easily up to the ‘addressee’, who paused in his task to grin down at his fellow student and friend. Ben Francis was currently engaged in creating a meticulously detailed drawing plan of the most recently uncovered glyphs on the upper levels of the temple site which was the object of their current archaeological survey, and he was determined to complete the work before the end of the working day on site. 

“Nope, not done yet, Gus,” he replied, although he did set the board down carefully at his side while he pulled off his bandana and wiped his sweaty brow with it. “These are fascinating, man, and I want to be able to give the finished plan to Eli as soon as. I can’t wait to see what he’ll make of it!” 

His enthusiasm was genuine, and the glow of happiness and accomplishment on his attractive features was clear to see even from ground level, and his friend shook his head fondly at the sight. 

“Fair enough, kiddo. But don’t forget to get something to eat, Ben. And have you got water up there too?” 

“Yeah, yeah, mother hen!” chuckled the younger man, “but thanks for reminding me. You know me and my nasty habit of losing track of time! But seriously, all being well I should be finished in an hour or so, OK?” 

As an assistant site manager, Gus Radcliffe took his responsibility seriously, but even though his younger friend’s acknowledged tendency to lose himself in his work was frustrating at times, he couldn’t help but admire Ben’s focus and application. The kid was a genius after all, his naturally inquisitive nature ensuring that he soaked up information like the proverbial sponge, and it didn’t hurt that he was so damned gorgeous either, even though he didn’t seem to realise it. Plenty of other people did, though, both male and female, and if Ben was so inclined, he would never want for eager bedmates. Then again, although no shrinking wallflower, the kid was pretty discerning when it came to potential lovers, so the vast majority of his would-be seducers were bound for disappointment. 

And unfortunately, Gus knew that to his cost, even though he felt no resentment for his failure. In his view, Ben was just too nice a person to be the object of a lasting grudge, his sunny nature and generous spirit precluding any deliberate mean-mindedness or malice on the kid’s part, so Gus had no choice but to accept their friendship as it stood, and be grateful. 

Sketching Ben a friendly wave, he turned away and strode back to where another group of students was working diligently on excavating what they hoped would turn out to be the entrance to an as yet undiscovered underground chamber, leaving the younger man to concentrate once again on his drawing. 

Left to his own devices again, Ben didn’t immediately pick up his drawing board, but took his friend’s advice and drank some bottled water while he thought about it. He grinned wryly to himself even as he screwed the cap back on the bottle. Gus knew him only too well, and he had had cause to be grateful on several previous occasions for the other man’s thoughtfulness, because Ben was well aware of his own shortcomings when his attention was fixed on some new and fascinating project. It honestly wasn’t a deliberate attempt to neglect himself, but mundane activities such as eating and sleeping just distracted him from whatever he was working on at the time, so he simply ignored them. 

Mopping his face again, he rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms out in front of him, releasing muscles stiff from sitting in the same position for too long. Although still determined to finish his work on time, he allowed himself a few minutes of quiet contemplation before taking up his pencil again. 

Gazing around him, he studied the area spread out below him, critically assessing and approving the site, and fully appreciating the honour of being included in the team of students from Rainier University who had been invited to assist in its first official excavation. The temple complex had remained hidden for centuries until a recent, accidental discovery had uncovered its location; long kept secret by the indigenous population. And when an initial survey suggested that the temple appeared to be specifically dedicated to the sentinel phenomenon, one of the first experts to be contacted by the University of Mexico was none other than Dr Eli Stoddard, Ben’s mentor and acknowledged authority on Sentinel lore. 

Ben smiled to himself as he watched the activity around him, sure that this expedition had the potential to earn him his doctorate if he so desired. Although only just turned twenty one, he already had his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees under his belt, having decided early on in his academic career to specialise in Anthropology and Archaeology. 

And he was ruefully aware that that in itself was yet another source of irritation and disappointment to his long-suffering parents that their eldest son had once again failed to meet their expectations. 

Although he had been brought up in the lap of luxury – a fact of which he was perfectly cognizant – yet it had never shaped either his character or his attitude to life as his parents had naturally assumed it would. Material possessions meant little to the child Ben, and even when presented with expensive gifts and parties he had been more interested in studying the people around him and his natural surroundings than revelling in the frequently self-centred and superficially gratifying activities indulged in by most of his peers. Oh, he had learned how to behave in public when on show with his family and their socialite acquaintances, and was positively charming when he put his mind to it; his gentle nature and empathy usually winning over the most snobbish and hard-nosed individuals with whom he was forced to associate; but he never enjoyed it, and was always happiest with his nose buried in a book alone in his bedroom or in a secluded area of the garden away from prying eyes. 

Indeed, at his exclusive private school, he had been perceived as a genuine _wunderkind_ as far as his ecstatic teachers were concerned, his love of learning and prodigious talent ensuring that he was far ahead of his peers in all subjects; something that his younger brother resented greatly. On the other hand, his general disinterest in sports, with the exception of baseball and basketball, meant that his more muscular and aggressively active classmates were frequently dismissive of their resident ‘bookworm’, and weren’t above letting him know it, but the fact that he was the son and heir of one of the biggest business empires in the city tended to limit their hostility to snide, verbal abuse rather than physical hazing. 

However, when it had come to a choice of college, once again Ben had refused to bend to his parents’ will to send him to some Ivy League establishment to study business, as he had already set his heart on studying anthropology, and was determined to do so at the local Rainier University. When questioned by his exasperated father, he had insisted that Rainier’s Anthropology Department was the place to be, not only because of its well-earned reputation in academic circles, but also because it boasted the presence of none other than Dr Eli Stoddard as its resident Professor, who was considered to be one of the world’s leading lights in the subject. 

Although they had made their opposition to his decision well-known, his parents had reluctantly given in, and Ben had quickly made his name at his chosen college, cheerfully cruising through his undergraduate degrees in record time and coming to the attention of the great man himself, who was enchanted by the boy’s intelligence, charm and dedication to his chosen subject. And that was the reason for his presence here in Mexico as one of Stoddard’s ‘chosen few’; an honour which Ben thoroughly appreciated. 

However, it never occurred to Ben that his unique personality and talent had been partially shaped by factors outside of his known family environment, but had he been aware of his actual genetic heritage, then perhaps the reason for his sometimes aberrant and unconventional behaviour would have been better understood. Material relevant to the popular ‘Nature vs. Nurture’ debate, perhaps? Whatever the case, all he knew was that his younger brother was most definitely his mother’s favourite, whereas he himself seemed to get away with much more where his father was concerned, but since he assumed that such was the case with most families, he thought no more about it. 

Had he but known it, the fact that he had been abducted by his natural father and reared as Suzanne’s child had never been revealed to anyone but Daniel’s immediate family and his loyal and amply compensated co-conspirators. Because Suzanne had been ‘out of circulation’ for so many months where Cascade’s polite society was concerned, it was no hardship for the Francis family to imply that her prolonged absence had been on account of health issues arising from an unexpectedly sudden second pregnancy, such that when the young couple returned from Lake Tahoe with a babe in arms, all that they needed to do was field their friends’ congratulations. With the necessary legal documentation taken care of by the firm’s tame lawyers they were free to enjoy their success in the eyes of Cascade’s ‘Great and Good’. 

And it had to be said that Ben’s appearance had made the world of difference to his supposed mother’s state of mind, even though her affection for her husband’s child was sometimes somewhat muted. But she did the best she could given her inherently self-centred nature, and thanks to the able support of a good-natured and competent nanny, Ben never wanted for attention. And not unnaturally, he was the apple of his father’s eye, and welcomed by his grandparents also as heir to the Francis fortune; a discreet DNA test taken a few years ago proving to their satisfaction that he was indeed his father’s son. 

The birth of Suzanne’s own healthy child two years later completed her healing process and fully restored her self-confidence, and if she appeared to look on little Blake with a fonder eye, it came as no surprise to Daniel. And even he had to admit that his younger son fitted into the mould his family circumstances created for him far better than had his older half-brother, being perfectly happy to accept and thoroughly embrace every luxury and privilege he was offered. 

For the first few years, the boys got on well enough, but perhaps not unnaturally as time went by some sibling rivalry and definitely some jealousy on the younger son’s part developed, even though a good-natured Ben tried to placate his brother whenever possible. Blake resented the fact that his father seemed to prefer Ben, and even his mother’s marked favouritism couldn’t compensate for his real indignation when he first heard the phrase ‘heir and spare’ thoughtlessly used to describe the boys’ status in their hearing. 

And since Ben seemed to excel at almost anything he set his hand to – barring most team sports, that was – and in particular shone in all aspects of academic achievement, Blake’s resentment grew exponentially. Ben was bright, charming and witty, and even though Blake was hardly stupid and not unattractive, he believed that he compared unfavourably to his brother in nearly every regard. 

Unhappily only too aware of his brother’s feelings despite everything he tried to do to alleviate the situation, Ben had to admit that he was greatly relieved when the time had come for him to leave the family home and take up lodgings near the University, hoping that in their case, absence might make the heart grow fonder, although he didn’t really expect it. He also tried very hard not to think too much about what the future might hold, because he knew what was expected of him in the fullness of time, and the very last thing he wanted was to take over a business empire and assume all its responsibilities. 

Resolutely pushing that depressing thought back into the closed space in the back of his mind where it belonged, Ben once again took up his pencil and began to draw.   


\---------------------  


**Jim:**  


**4 years later, Cascade, WA:**  


**Simon Banks’ office, Cascade Central PD Major Crimes Unit:**  


“Care to run that by me again, Jim? You’re not serious are you?” Captain Simon Banks’ perplexed frown and disbelieving tone hardly came as a surprise to the man who was presently prowling agitatedly around his superior’s office, but it rankled anyway. 

“Yes, Simon. Sir. I’m completely serious, although I wish to God that I wasn’t. And it’s getting worse, sir. At this rate, I’m either going to get someone killed, or you’re going to have to get the guys from the Funny Farm to find me a nice, rubber room somewhere!” 

Simon knew that his friend and lead detective was entirely sincere, and he really did sympathise with the guy if what he claimed was actually true, but he had his own reasons for hoping that Jim Ellison was mistaken. Heck, the man was his best investigator, and the main reason for his department’s stats being so impressive, but he had also become a good friend despite his prickly nature, and Simon felt duty-bound to do his best by him. 

The present problem had arisen because Jim Ellison was – or had been until now – a latent sentinel, and an alpha at that. That meant that he had always had the potential for all five of his senses to be heightened to an incredible degree on coming ‘online’, so to speak, but Simon knew for a fact that Ellison had always maintained that he hated his so-called genetic advantage and had fought all his life to control and repress his gift. Not only had he learned to fear and loathe the possibility of being regarded as a freak by his less-than-understanding father during a difficult childhood, but he also didn’t want to be subjected to the drawbacks inherent in accepting his condition. 

Yes, the senses could be considered to be a wonderful gift, and when used for the benefit of society in such roles as law enforcement, medicine and the emergency services they were generally greatly admired and appreciated by the majority of the population. However, the major downside was that sentinels were in constant danger of losing themselves in one sense to the exclusion of everything else, leaving them open and vulnerable to outside influences. These fugue states or ‘zone outs’ could be prevented if the sentinel had a companion or ‘guide’ to watch their backs and ground him or her with voice and touch, but therein lay the problem as far as Ellison was concerned. The man was a loner by choice; self-reliant and determined to work without the encumbrance of a partner; and as long as he continued to keep his hypersensitivity rigidly controlled he had managed perfectly well up until now. 

However, after a recent solitary stakeout, it appeared that Jim’s senses had indeed come fully online at last, and apparently this time there was no putting them back in their box. Without a guide to ground him, the painful and potentially dangerous sensory spikes were getting out of control, and this most recent episode was proof that things couldn’t go on the way they were. 

His expression grim, Simon regarded his subordinate for a long moment, truly taking in the lines of new pain and stress etched deeply in the handsome face. Jim’s buff and impressive figure was rigid with tension, the muscles of his powerful upper body corded and flexing as he clenched his fists, and Simon was struck by a fleeting thought that Jim resembled nothing so much as a bear with a sore head. And then he immediately chastised himself for entertaining such an uncharitable notion, because for sure that was probably exactly how his friend was feeling. 

“OK, Jim, man. Let’s go through this again, and see if we can come up with some solution, huh? Sit down for a while and take a load off, because I sure as hell can’t concentrate with you pacing around like some damn jungle cat!” 

When Ellison shot him a pained glance even as he acceded to Simon’s request, the big captain felt an unaccustomed pang of real sympathy as he marshalled his thoughts for the upcoming, undoubtedly difficult discussion. 

“So, Jim. You really believe that this is it, and you can’t repress your senses anymore? What’s so different now? And is that why you froze this morning at that attempted jewellery heist?” 

Ellison glanced away, his jaw muscles jumping as he ground his teeth in frustration and no little shame. But when he looked back and met his captain’s steady gaze unflinchingly, his own expression reflected both conviction and resignation. 

“Yeah. Yes, Captain,” he replied. “This really is it, unless I’m very much mistaken. And I really don’t believe I am. I guess I’ve always known that a period of enforced isolation could trigger the senses, but I’ve controlled them for so long now that I thought they’d remain dormant for good. More fool me!” he added disgustedly. 

“Anyhow, at first after that stakeout I thought that their appearance was just temporary, and didn’t really think any more of it. It’s happened before on occasion as you know, but I’ve always been able to suppress them again fairly easily. But this last week or so it’s been getting worse and worse, and nothing I’ve tried has helped. My sense of touch is so erratic that I can’t even shower in comfort and my clothes can feel like sackcloth and ashes; food tastes either too spicy or of nothing at all, and sight and hearing are frequently off the scale. I can’t simply dial them down to normal levels and hold them there anymore, and then this morning I lost myself in the sunlight shining on a display of diamonds when Joel and I went into that store to apprehend the thief. It was pure, dumb luck that the perp was distracted enough by the arrival of another customer that gave Joel the opportunity to take him down. Otherwise Joel could well have taken a bullet, and it would’ve been my fault! It can’t go on, Simon, or I’m going to get someone killed, and I’d never forgive myself for that.” 

Simon sighed deeply, his lips tightening in a grim line as he absorbed Jim’s words. There was only one course of action to take if Jim was to keep his job, but Simon knew very well that his suggestion wasn’t going to be well-received to say the least. However, it had to be said, so he took a deep, cleansing breath and began. 

“Well, Jim, you’ve convinced me, sad to say, because I can see now that you’re right, and as a friend I can’t tell you how sorry I am about that, man; knowing how you feel about the whole Sentinel deal. Yes, I freely admit that personally I’d welcome your coming online from a purely selfish point of view. Your performance in this unit has been admirable, and with the added benefit of the senses, it could be spectacular. But I also realise that you can’t go on unless you accept a guide, and a compatible one at that. If I understand the situation correctly, a less powerful sentinel could get by with the occasional backup from one of the department’s official temporary guides when he or she wanted to use their senses, but as an alpha you’re going to need the real deal. An empathic guide who will become your full-time companion. Am I right?” 

Jim pursed his lips in aggravation. He knew Simon was correct, but he didn’t have to like it. It was a fact that less gifted sentinels could get by without a permanent guide as long as they were sensible in the use of their abilities – no pun intended. Similarly, less gifted guides who were simply more sensitive ‘people persons’ rather than genuine empaths could choose to use their talents working for institutions rather than tying themselves to any one individual. But the fact remained that recent studies had concluded that alpha sentinels needed strong guides, and if anything in the modern era, such guides were even less inclined to be identified than alpha sentinels. 

Undoubtedly there had been no such problem in indigenous tribes, because traditionally sentinels and guides were paired from childhood, and because such individuals were so highly prized, it was considered to be an honour to be thus chosen. However, in a modern, industrialised society, not only did potential sentinels manifest much more rarely; possibly because their gifts weren’t required to the same extent and remained dormant; but compatible guides more often than not already had their lives and careers mapped out, and consequently were less than enamoured with the idea of accepting a permanent placement with a high-maintenance companion. And in all honesty, Jim could hardly blame them for that, since he wouldn’t want to inflict himself on such a one even as the thought of being dependant on another for the rest of his life was anathema to him. 

Unfortunately, he was going to have to accept the inevitable if he wanted to keep working, but that was assuming that he could find the right guide, and that in itself could well turn out to be difficult, if not impossible. And neither he nor Simon cared to dwell on the likely consequences of him failing in his quest. 

Part of the problem lay in the public perception of the whole sentinel and guide phenomenon as it was currently understood. Although their ‘rediscovery’ was relatively recent, a lot of research had already been carried out on sentinels and their abilities, and also in recognising and isolating the genetic markers which identified individuals predisposed to hypersensitivity. However, unfortunately the same couldn’t be said about guides. Again, part of the reason was because the original ‘master study’ on which virtually all modern research was based had sadly neglected the role of the guide. Sir Richard Burton’s nineteenth century monograph ‘The Sentinels of Paraguay’ made little mention of the guide or companion, implying that the role was of lesser importance, and that notion had persisted for far too long. Only recently had studies been carried out on the genetic markers defining those whose high empathy rating made them eminently suitable to be companions to the strongest sentinels, and not unsurprisingly, comparatively few had answered the call. 

The two men sat in contemplative but companionable silence for a while, each considering Jim’s problem from their own point of view. It was Simon who spoke first; trying to infuse his expression and tone with as much persuasion as possible in order to convince his friend and subordinate to accept his suggestion. 

“OK, Jim, this is how I see it. Although I can hardly claim to be any sort of expert on sentinel and guide pairings in the PD, I’m assuming that none of the guides we have working here at present are of the calibre you’re going to require, am I right? So this is what I suggest. Here in Cascade at least we can boast the foremost authority on Sentinel Studies in Dr Eli Stoddard at Rainier, and surely if anyone can give you worthwhile advice it would be him? If any new information has come to light, he’d be the first to know, I’m sure. So why don’t you take off early and see if you can arrange a meeting with him? You never know, he might even have some ideas about where you could look to see if you can locate a guide! You never know your luck, and you won’t unless you ask.” 

Jim’s face betrayed his scepticism even as he grinned tiredly at his friend. He knew that Simon meant well, and in all honesty, what had he to lose? So he nodded slowly, his taut expression gradually relaxing as he responded. 

“Fair enough, sir. Why not? As you say, it can’t hurt to ask, and even if he can’t help me in my search for a guide, maybe he does have some new information on techniques to repress these damned senses. So I’ll give him a call, and if I can get an appointment, I’ll clear my desk, and get on over there, OK? 

“And thanks, Simon. For both your understanding and your support. I really mean that,” and with that, he rose to his feet and left the office, unaware of the worried gaze that followed his departure.  


\---------------------  


**Shortly afterwards, Rainier University campus:**  


Striding purposefully down Hargrove Hall’s winding corridors in search of the Anthropology Department, Jim fought valiantly to ignore and suppress the headache from hell that was threatening to reduce him to a snarling, pain-filled wreck. It had started almost as soon as he had set off from the PD, and the inconsiderate behaviour of too many other road users hadn’t helped his tolerance levels any. However, he had forcibly controlled his own temper as best he could, knowing that ultimately it served no purpose apart from making his head hurt even worse, and had arrived at the university campus intact, if not exactly feeling fit and well. 

Eventually reaching his destination, he raised his hand to knock on the polished door whose shining brass name plate identified it as the office of Dr Eli Stoddard. On hearing a cheerful invitation to enter, he opened the door and quickly surveyed the large, airy and well-appointed room before settling his gaze on its occupant. 

Dr Stoddard was of middling height, his figure trim and physically fit despite his age, which Jim already knew was in his late sixties. His pleasant, even-featured face was tan, wrinkled and weathered from countless expeditions, and bright, hazel eyes regarded him inquisitively from below a shock of white hair. His expression was welcoming as he indicated the comfortable chair situated in front of his expansive mahogany desk. 

“Take a seat, Detective Ellison. Would you like anything to drink? Tea, coffee, water? It’s no trouble!” 

When Jim declined politely, Stoddard settled himself in his own seat and studied Jim with interest, his elbows on his desk and his chin resting on his clasped hands. 

“So, Detective, how can I help you? I understand that you have recently manifested, and that you are an alpha sentinel, is that correct? I took the liberty of looking up your file on our Sentinel and Guide database, and your genetic markers suggest that you are probably one of the strongest individuals yet recorded. But I can see from your expression that you aren’t happy with the situation. What exactly do you hope to get from this meeting? Believe me, I want to help you if I can,” he added sincerely. 

Biting back the instinctive, disapproving comment he wanted to make on being faced with the fact that his sentinel status was already known to the professor, Jim forced himself to respond reasonably. After all, his details were already on record from his days in the military, and also in his Personnel File at the PD, so it figured that the relevant information would be readily available for inclusion in a Sentinel database too. As such a private person, however, it didn’t make him feel any better to be shown just how much of his life was out there for all to see. 

Jim huffed out a sigh as he met Stoddard’s not unsympathetic gaze. “First off, Dr Stoddard, I want to thank you for seeing me at such short notice. It was actually my Captain’s suggestion that I contact you, because I’ve been having increasingly severe side-effects from my senses, which came fully online a few weeks ago. And yes, it _was_ after a period of isolation,” he added with a rueful grimace. 

“I admit that on occasion my senses have surfaced before, but I’ve always been able to suppress them quite easily. But not this time. This time nothing I’ve done has helped although I’ve made an effort to make my home environment more sentinel-friendly. I always thought I had the whole ‘dialling down’ technique well in hand, but it’s not working any longer. I guess I’m hoping that you have some more up-to-date advice for me to try, because I’ve got to say that, unless I can get myself under control, I’m going to lose my job. And being a cop means everything to me.” 

Stoddard regarded him solemnly for a moment, plainly considering his reply. “I do appreciate your concerns, dear boy, believe me. But I’m rather afraid that whatever I have to say is going to disappoint you if you’re truly so set against using your gift. I don’t really have any new advice to offer as to controlling your senses other than the advice I think you don’t want to hear. The only alternative would be to move to a permanent, low-stimulus environment somewhere and stay there. 

“Now, while it’s true that there is on-going research into some form of medication that can alleviate a sentinel’s sensory problems in the short term - ‘dampen’ them, if you will - at best it will only be a temporary measure to begin with, and also it’s still in the clinical trial stages and won’t be available for some while yet. So at present the only measure that will help a sentinel of your capability is the one I think you never wanted to consider. And that is finding a suitable guide, yes?” 

Jim frowned darkly, bitterly dismayed at the professor’s words even though his inner cynic had expected them. But even if he accepted the situation, there was still the not-so-minor matter of trying to find such a guide in the first place. 

“Thanks for your candour, Dr Stoddard. And yes, while I admit to being disappointed, I can’t honestly say that I’m surprised. But now I have another problem, don’t I? How am I supposed to find a compatible guide when so few of them either know of their potential or are prepared to come forward if they do? Yes, we have guides at the PD, but to be brutally honest, they’re of little use to me. I’m barely hanging on here, Professor, so what can you suggest?” 

Stoddard sat back in his seat, his expression grave and pensive as he studied the proud but hurting man before him. The detective was an impressive figure to be sure, and if he could learn to use his gift properly, he would be a formidable asset for the PD, but there was only one other possible course of action Eli could think of at this time. 

“I do have one more suggestion, Detective Ellison, insofar as there is one other source of information about guides who might be able to help you. My new assistant, Dr Ben Francis, gained his doctorate last year with a masterful paper on the subject of guides. He’s a brilliant young man who has made it his academic goal in life to redress the balance of sentinel and guide studies, which until recently had been heavily weighted in favour of the sentinel as the primary partner in the pair. Although often controversial, his work is already highly acclaimed in certain circles, and he is gaining great respect even among those who have yet to be convinced of his more abstract theories. In fact, most of the current interest in the study of guides is down to him and his influence, his tender years notwithstanding. He’ll be in his office now, I believe, so would you like me to call him and see if he can spare us a few minutes?” 

And really, what else could Jim say? He was willing to grasp at any straw, and for reasons he didn’t yet understand, he suddenly felt sure that he needed to meet this young man. 

Receiving Ellison’s assent, Eli picked up his desk phone and dialled his assistant’s number, and in doing so, set off a chain reaction that was to change the lives of two men irrevocably.   


To be continued….  


\--------------------------  



	2. Part 2: An Auspicious Meeting

Part 2: An Auspicious Meeting:   


Eli terminated his call and put the handset down, beaming at Jim as he said, “Good news, Detective! Ben is free and is happy to meet with you. He’s on his way!” His smile grew softly reminiscent and his bright eyes lost focus for a few seconds, his mind clearly elsewhere until he shook himself slightly and met Jim’s somewhat quizzical gaze. Smile widening again, he explained, “Ah, don’t be put off by Ben’s appearance, Detective. But I should warn you that my young friend actually looks more like one of his students than a fully-fledged Doctor of Anthropology! He is indeed young – the youngest PhD recipient this university has ever had – but it was well-deserved. I’ve never met a brighter spark, and one who was a delight to teach at that. And who is also the best assistant I have ever had. 

“Always willing and eager to help, that boy, whether it’s expected of him or not.” 

Suddenly, Eli realised that he had lost his visitor’s attention, and he looked on with interest as the big cop turned slightly in his seat, his head cocked on one side in a listening pose as he stared expectantly at the door. It occurred to Eli that Ellison had already ‘locked on’ to the approaching new arrival, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered if he had done the right thing by introducing Ben to the newly online sentinel. But what was done was done, and he was certain that Ben would never apportion any blame to him whatever the outcome. If it was their destiny to meet, then it would happen anyway, and without any input from him. 

Just then, the door opened to reveal his young friend, and suddenly Eli found himself in the role of interested, if slightly concerned spectator as the scene played out before him. 

Virtually bouncing into the room, Ben grinned happily as he announced himself to its occupants. “Dr Stoddard – Eli? How can I help?” Then he did a classic double-take as he met the almost predatory gaze of Eli’s visitor, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of the most gorgeous specimen of a man he thought he had ever seen. As Ellison rose smoothly to his feet to greet the new arrival, Ben could only stare in mute admiration at the tall, buff and classically handsome man who seemed to be devouring him with the intensity of his cornflower blue gaze. Swallowing hard, he belatedly found his voice as he held out a slightly shaking hand. 

“Ah, um, Dr Ben Francis at your service,” he stammered eventually, inwardly cringing at the pathetic greeting. Then his hand was grasped firmly in a large, warm grip and he gazed up in wide-eyed amazement as the bigger man smiled. 

“Detective Jim Ellison, Dr Francis, and I’m very pleased to meet you too. I think you’re just the person I’ve been waiting for!” 

As far as Jim was concerned, he couldn’t have been more content with Ben’s person and appearance. He had been somewhat perplexed when his wayward hearing had suddenly latched on to the steady thrumming of an approaching heartbeat, and the nearer the tantalising body came, the more settled the rest of his senses became. It was as if they had automatically homed in on the newcomer, which meant that he must surely be a guide, and a compatible one at that. And when the door opened to reveal the young man, Jim knew for certain that he wanted him for his own. 

He had already noted and approved of the young man’s addictive personal scent, and Jim knew that he’d recognise that heartbeat anywhere now. And when he beheld the guide in the flesh, his libido had immediately sat up and taken notice such that Jim had had to make a determined effort to quell his lustful thoughts. 

Because Dr Ben Francis was utterly and breathtakingly lovely. 

Mindful of Dr Stoddard’s warning, Jim knew that the young man wasn’t actually as youthful as he appeared – which at first glance was about sixteen – but he was still very young for all that. Despite his impressive academic achievements, he was still only twenty five or so, almost a decade younger than Jim himself. 

At around five feet six or seven, Ben was several inches shorter than Jim’s six foot plus, and although not overly muscled, he was sturdy and compact if slender, with wide shoulders, slim waist and hips and shapely legs. But it was his face that immediately caught the attention. A wide, smooth brow rose above huge, deep blue expressive eyes that betrayed his every thought. Well-defined cheekbones and a firm chin were complemented by a small, neat nose and the lushest mouth Jim had seen in many a year on either man or woman. All this bounty was placed on a long, elegant neck and surrounded by a riot of dark auburn curls that haloed Ben’s head in abundance. Although hardly short, Jim had a fleeting mental image of the student Ben with the same curls grown out and brushing his shoulders, and hid a faintly wistful smirk at the thought. 

Although reluctant to break up the mutual admiration society meeting going on before his very eyes, Eli decided that enough was enough, and as he was plainly surplus to requirements right now, he coughed discreetly to gain their attention. 

“Detective Ellison, Ben? It looks as if you two have a lot to talk about, so might I suggest you either go to Ben’s office, or perhaps take a late lunch?” His affable grin robbed his words of any hint of reproach, and Ben’s eyes twinkled in affection and gratitude as he nodded. 

“Sorry, Eli. And yes, that sounds like a plan if it’s OK with you, Detective?” he added slightly diffidently. 

Jim grinned in response. “Fine by me, Dr Francis--” 

“Ben,” interrupted the smaller man gently. 

“OK, Ben it is. And I’m Jim. And I would be very happy to treat you to lunch.” 

Ben bounced happily at that, looking both incredibly youthful, and totally delectable. “Great! So, let’s leave Eli in peace, and we can drop by my office so I can collect my coat and lock up, OK?” 

Jim grinned again and nodded his assent, and Eli watched in bemusement and affection as the big sentinel placed a large, protective hand at the small of Ben’s back as they left the room together, apparently completely immersed in one other. 

Introducing them had been the right thing to do after all, he was sure of it.  


\-------------------------  


As the pair walked back towards Ben’s office, by apparently mutual consent they kept their conversation light and general, remarking on nothing more controversial than the unseasonably warm weather Cascade was presently experiencing. However, both men were taking the opportunity to surreptitiously study and fully appreciate each other’s physical presence, and Jim in particular was more than a little bemused by his urge to protect and possess this complete stranger. He had never felt such an overwhelming compulsion before, even though his natural inclination was to guard the tribe; a characteristic of sentinels the world over. After all, it was the main reason why he had joined the PD after leaving the military, the desire to ‘Protect and Serve’ uppermost in his mind at the time. 

This was different, though, in that the compulsion was centred on one particular individual, and even though he felt somewhat confused, he was also convinced that the feeling was right. 

Arriving at a door not too distant from Stoddard’s office, Ben fished in his pocket for a set of keys and unlocked it, stepping aside to let Jim precede him into the room. The bigger man looked around him with interest, noting the pleasant view from the window and the comfortable interior. It wasn’t as well-appointed as Stoddard’s office, but it was certainly none too shabby, and he smiled as he remarked on it to his new young friend. However, Ben’s response wasn’t quite what he might have expected, as for once the young face was briefly darkened by a flash of distaste and uncharacteristic cynicism, if Jim had but known it. 

“Thanks, Jim. I guess it must seem strange that such a lowly new addition to the teaching totem should have such a nice office, huh? And believe me, I do appreciate it. But then again, it’s not really fair, because you should see the miserable spaces allotted to the TAs and research assistants. Guess the Board just wanted to keep their Golden Boy happy. Or Golden Goose…” he added enigmatically in an undertone. 

However, Jim’s newly cooperative hearing had no difficulty hearing the comment, but he refrained from questioning his new friend just yet as he didn’t want to risk damaging their fragile but very promising nascent connection. 

Quickly shrugging off his fleeting bad mood, Ben grinned again as he reached for his leather jacket, smiling up into Jim’s face as he put it on. “So, Jim, where would you like to go for lunch? There’s a really nice pub not far from campus that’s both popular with students and serves home-cooked food and decent beer. Fancy trying it out?” and Jim was happy to go along with the suggestion, even though in the back of his mind he realised that he’d be content with grabbing a hotdog from a stand in the park as long as he was with Ben.  


**Shortly afterwards, The Mitre’s Arms:**  


Jim took another appreciative swig of his craft beer and gazed around him approvingly before turning to face his cheerful companion again. 

“Nice place, Chief,” he murmured, the affectionate nickname falling easily from his lips. “I can understand why it’s so popular. And if the food’s as good as it looks, you won’t hear any complaints from me. Because I think that for once I’m going to actually be able to enjoy it!” 

Ben nodded in response, knowing exactly what the big detective meant. He had realised immediately, even without being forewarned by Eli, that Jim was the real deal. A true alpha sentinel, and as such, to be admired and helped to the best of Ben’s ability. Not that the proposition wasn’t a daunting one, because even though he knew he was probably the world’s leading expert on the subject of guides, Ben had never considered himself to be more than an academic at best despite his upbringing. And possibly because he was naturally self-effacing when it came to personal matters, he had honestly never actually considered the possibility that he himself had anything more to offer than informed advice, never even bothering to find out through testing if he had any guide potential himself. After all, neither Suzanne nor Daniel had the genetic markers, so there was no reason to believe that their offspring did. 

But he knew that there was a part of him that dearly wished to be more to Jim than just a teacher, and that was in itself a perplexing notion seeing as he had only just met the man. Perhaps he should have been tested after all? It was an intriguing thought, but surely just wishful thinking on his part, so for now he settled for just getting to know Jim a little better, and see where they went from here. 

Realising that Jim was studying him intently, he grinned and shrugged disarmingly. “What is it, man? Do I have something stuck in my teeth?” 

Jim grinned back, the expression lighting his handsome face and warming his eyes. “No, Chief, nothing like that!” he replied. “It’s just that I’m sure we’ve met before. Are you by any chance related to the Francis family who run the Francis Foundation and several other major businesses in Cascade?” 

Busted! Ben’s face fell as he stared at his hands as if fascinated by them where they rested on the table top. It seemed that yet again his family and their collective influence were going to interfere with his personal life if Jim was going to be put off or otherwise affected by his wealthy connections. 

“Uh, yeah. I am,” he murmured miserably. “My father is Daniel Francis, and I’m named for my grandfather Benjamin. Does it matter?” he added, a little plaintively. 

In answer, Jim simply reached over and placed a warm hand over Ben’s clasped ones. “Not in the way you probably think, Chief,” he said, his tone encouraging the younger man to raise his eyes to meet Jim’s understanding gaze. “My father’s William Ellison of Ellison Enterprises, so believe me, I know what a millstone that can be at times. Not that I have anything to do with him or the company now, and haven’t for years. But as a kid my brother Steven and I obviously came into contact with a lot of kids from similar backgrounds, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we hadn’t at least seen each other before.” 

He was suddenly struck by a memory, clearly recalling a series of images of a curly haired little boy with a cheeky smile and a killer arm when it came to pitching a softball in an impromptu game on someone’s rolling lawns. Although Jim would have been a cynical teen at the time, he could still remember how likeable the little boy had been, although the kid had snuck off as soon as he decently could to go and hide in the bushes with a book. And when he met Ben’s thoughtful gaze again, he wasn’t too surprised when his new friend replied. 

“I think I do remember you, Jim. Although I’d only be about six or seven, I think we met at one of my parents’ garden parties. Probably more than one, to tell the truth, because I know that Grandfather Benjamin is acquainted with your father. And I’m sure that my father will have had business dealings with him also, because you’ll know what Cascade’s business community’s like. Success attracts success, as does money, does it not?” and he snickered sardonically although his expression was pinched and unhappy. 

However, Jim’s expression was completely non-judgemental and understanding as he sought to comfort the young man. “It’s OK, Ben, honestly. I do know exactly where you’re coming from, because I think you’re not that different from me in one respect. I believe that we’ve both determined to make our own way in life despite our upbringing; me by leaving home to join the army as soon as I could, and you by pursuing your academic career. Thing is, I’ve made it quite clear to my Dad that I want nothing to do with the company or his fortune. As far as I’m concerned, Stevie can have the lot. He’s more of a businessman than I am anyway. 

“How about you? Are you expected to live up to your folks’ expectations eventually?” he asked, not unsympathetically. 

Ben dropped his gaze again to their still clasped hands. “Sadly, yes, Jim,” he murmured softly. “I love my parents, I do, and I know they’ve only tried to do the best for me and my brother Blake that they can. As you yourself know, it’s not really a ‘homey’ lifestyle, and conspicuous wealth and keeping up appearances are everything, but I’ve tried not to be too judgemental even if my parents consider me to be a rebel!” and he grinned sadly at that. “I know that I’ve been allowed to get away with a lot more than you’d think, especially in my determination to pursue a somewhat arcane study subject, but when push comes to shove, my father is adamant that I should take over the reins of the company from him in due course, and for the life of me, I don’t know what I’ll do when that happens.” 

Jim offered him a rueful grin as he patted the hands beneath his own before withdrawing to sit back in his seat. “For what it’s worth, Chief, I believe you’ll do the right thing when the time comes, but for now, let’s just enjoy our meal, want to? Because it’s about to arrive!” 

And even as he spoke, the waitress approached carrying a tray of delicious-smelling food, and Ben smiled happily again, his sadness pushed firmly aside again by both his naturally optimistic nature and the welcome support from his new friend. “You got it, Jim! Bon appétit!”  


\-------------------------  
A couple of hours later found the two men strolling around Cascade’s Central Park, making the most of the late afternoon sunshine. As he had hoped, Jim had thoroughly enjoyed his meal, savouring every mouthful as his senses continued to cooperate in Ben’s presence. And now he was mellow enough to respond patiently to his bouncing, enthusiastic companion’s efforts to test the range of this newly updated version of his ability. Under normal circumstances, Jim was ruefully aware that he would have little time or inclination for such intrusive questions and suggestions, but this was different. He found himself trusting Ben not to exploit the information to Jim’s detriment but rather accepted the young man’s interest as a genuine desire to help. And although after a few hours of concentrated effort he was nursing a dull headache, yet he didn’t want to break off their meeting just yet. 

However, Ben seemed to realise instinctively when the sentinel had had enough, and chuckling wryly, he said, “OK, Jim. I can see that you’re getting a headache, my man! Look, if I go on too much, just tell me, OK? I know I can be really irritating, because I never shut up. But I really do want to help you, man. Your main problem is that, because you’ve managed to suppress your senses so effectively for so long, now they’re out there, so to speak, you have to practice your control techniques a whole lot more so you can get a handle on them. I believe you’re strong enough to eventually be able to hold them down reasonably well, but unfortunately you won’t be able to use them without a guide. A proper guide, Jim. One who will be able to work with you and will instinctively know how to ground you. There must be one out there waiting for you, man. And I’ll do my very best to help you in the meantime, Jim, I promise!” 

Of course, what he didn’t say was that he so wished that he could be that guide, because he had never felt an attraction like this before. But it just had to be wishful thinking on his part, because he was certain that he was no guide, however much he had studied them. Now that research had proved that true guides were born, not made, he just had to accept that his help and advice was purely theoretical and not innate. 

However, although he realised that Ben was completely sincere, Jim was determined to try and convince this beautiful young man that he was all that Jim wanted. 

Halting in his tracks and turning to face Ben, he gazed down into the young man’s quizzical face for a moment before reaching out to place a warm hand on Ben’s shoulder. 

“Look, Chief. Ben. I’m truly grateful all your help, and for everything you’ve told me so far, but I need to say this. You already know that I’ve never wanted a guide or a permanent police partner, and I’ve explained that I’m basically a solitary individual. And until now, that’s how I’ve always felt. 

“But I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t feel something special between us, even after just a few hours of being together. Yes, I would appreciate it more than I can say if you would keep helping me, but I still think that you’re more than just an academic and teacher, however knowledgeable. I think you’re my guide, Ben. Everything feels so right in your presence, and I’ve never felt this comfortable before. Or ever expected to.” 

As he spoke, he watched the myriad expressions chasing each other across Ben’s mobile face. Warmth, affection, gratitude and a fleeting hope were replaced by sorrow and resignation as the young man sighed and reached up to cover Jim’s hand with his own. 

“Oh, man. Oh, Jim, I’m so sorry! I mean, I admit that it would be a dream come true if I were really a guide, and good enough for a sentinel like you. But I know I can’t be, because neither of my parents or anyone in their families has ever carried the necessary genes. And I’ve seen what a real pair can do, Jim. When I was working on my Master’s thesis, I had the fantastic opportunity of meeting and studying an indigenous pair in Peru, and man, they were just something else! It was like they were two halves of one whole; totally symbiotic and happy to be. Watching them in action gave me the proof I needed to convince me that there must be some sort of ritual bonding they go through because they literally were together in every way. 

“Now I know that a lot of my peers think I’m nuts to believe this, but I honestly think I’m right, and Eli has given me the benefit of the doubt too! 

“But that’s the thing, man. I don’t have what it takes even though I can help and offer advice. I’d love to be your friend, Jim, but I’m not your guide.” 

To say that he was bitterly disappointed would be an understatement as far as Jim was concerned, but he was still certain that he was right. Ben was meant to be his, whatever the scientists claimed, and it was up to him to convince the young man of the rightness of their partnership. So although this wasn’t the time to continue the discussion, he knew he wasn’t about to give up without a real fight. 

Sighing deeply, he smiled sadly down into Ben’s anxious face. “OK, Chief. I hear you. I mean, I knew about my senses years ago even though I didn’t want them. And a routine test during my medical when I joined the army just confirmed it. But even if you say the guide gene doesn’t run in your family, I still think you can do more for me than anyone else I’ve ever met. So what I’d like to ask is this. Would you be prepared to come into the PD with me and explain to my captain exactly what he can expect?” 

And there was no way Ben was going to turn him down. His smile breaking our again, he bounced on his toes as he replied eagerly, “Of course I will, Jim! And if he’s willing, perhaps we can work out some way of me being able to keep helping you out until you find that real guide, huh?” 

Jim grinned and nodded at that, although in his own mind he already knew just who that guide would be.   



	3. Part 3: A Working Partnership

**Part 3: A Working Partnership:**  


**Following morning, MCU bullpen:**  


An uncharacteristically nervous Jim sat at his desk staring sightlessly at the computer screen in front of him. He knew he’d been gazing at the unfinished report thereon for many minutes now, but hadn’t taken in a word of it. Glancing at the clock on the bullpen wall for the umpteenth time, he told himself firmly to get a grip. Ben would be here. He had promised to come in as soon as he had done with his morning lecture, and Jim believed him. But he was getting more and more antsy and impatient as the minutes ticked by even though Ben wasn’t actually late yet. It was just that Jim genuinely couldn’t wait to set eyes on his new friend again, and better still, touch him – albeit platonically - because he knew in his heart of hearts that the young man was destined to be his guide, whether Ben believed it or not. 

The sentinel had actually had a very restful night for a change, and his senses were still settled and behaving themselves so far this morning, although he was slightly embarrassed to ponder on the reason why. The fact was that he had pocketed Ben’s napkin surreptitiously after their meal, and had used the young man’s residual scent to ground him throughout the night. He fingered it in his pocket now, glad that it was still working for him, which was yet more proof as far as he was concerned that Ben really was a guide. But there was no way he was going to pressure his new friend yet. First they had to get the all-important interview with Simon Banks over with, because without his consent their tentative plans and suggestions about how Jim could continue working as a cop would be worthless. 

Suddenly his hearing perked up and zeroed in on the already familiar heartbeat as Ben entered the building, and Jim quickly rose to his feet to go down to the front desk to greet his visitor. The sergeant on duty, Sergeant Jess Murphy, was a good man and well acquainted with Detective Ellison, so was more than happy to agree to keep an eye open for Doctor Francis and have a temporary pass waiting for him. 

By the time Jim stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby, Ben had signed in and was just clipping his badge to his jacket when he looked up to see the big cop approaching. In Jim’s opinion he looked good enough to eat, and his face lit up with a beaming smile as he strode over to meet Jim half way, his hand held out in greeting. 

“Jim, man! Good to see you again. How are you doing?” 

Clasping the outstretched hand in his own, Jim’s answering smile was equally warm. He knew exactly what Ben meant by the seemingly innocuous query, and was grateful for the young man’s tact. Offering Ben a quick wink, he replied, “I’m fine, Ben, thanks for asking. Everything’s behaving itself so far,” he added quietly for Ben’s ears alone. 

The genuine relief on his friend’s face was obvious as he nodded understandingly, turning to accompany Jim back to the elevator to take them up to Major Crimes. “So, then, Jim. Can your Captain Banks see us now? I really hope that he’ll accept our proposal, man. After all, if he wants you to keep working for him, he should agree, shouldn’t he?” Ben couldn’t quite keep the hint of trepidation from his voice, knowing that they were going to be asking quite a lot of Jim’s boss. He was certain that not every police captain could be expected to be particularly understanding when it came to something as arcane as the sentinel phenomenon, even if it was usually welcomed as an asset. In order to reap the benefits of hypersensitivity, certain conditions had to be met and allowances made, and for sure there were those who didn’t think the effort was worth it. 

Although he couldn’t be one hundred per cent certain, Jim was pretty sure that Simon was both a good enough friend and far-thinking superior to accept their conditions, and he did his best to reassure Ben. “I think he’ll be OK, Ben. I mean, he growls a lot, but generally speaking his bark’s worse than his bite, and he’s nothing if not fair and above board. If we can convince him that it’s worth his while and that of the unit, he’ll go for it, I’m sure. 

“Or at least give us the opportunity to prove ourselves; or not, as the case may be,” he added with a wry grin. 

“Fair enough, Jim. So, do you have anything planned for this evening?” Ben continued a little diffidently. “Because if not, perhaps you’d like to come around to my place? I’ll cook us some dinner, and we’ll go through some more exercises.” 

Jim looked down into the smaller man’s hopeful gaze and nodded happily. “Sure, Ben, I’d love to. At the moment I’m still on desk duty so I should be able to get away on time. When would you like me to come over?” 

Ben’s smile was wide and bright, telegraphing his pleasure that Jim hadn’t turned him down. “How about 6.30 for 7.00? I’ve only got office hours this afternoon, so I’ll have plenty of time to cook.” 

“Works for me,” Jim replied cheerfully. “And here we are, Chief,” he continued as the elevator doors opened. “Major Crimes, my home from home!”  


\--------------------------  


As they pushed open the bullpen doors, Jim’s covert scan of his companion told him that despite Ben’s confident smile and demeanour, his heart rate was somewhat elevated, and there was a hint of a nervous tang to his scent. But it was also obvious that there was no way that he was going to let his nerves get the better of him, and he glanced up cheerfully into Jim’s slightly concerned eyes. 

“Are we expected immediately, Jim, or do we wait to be summoned?” he chuckled mischievously. 

“We can go straight in, Chief,” Jim replied with an answering grin. “Simon told me to bring you to him as soon as you arrived, so we don’t have to hang around.” 

With that, he placed a warm hand at the small of Ben’s back, and gently ushered the younger man in the direction of Simon Banks’ inner sanctum. As they crossed the bullpen, Jim was well aware of the speculative gazes that followed their progress, and sentinel hearing picked up quite a few curious remarks. However, it appeared that Ben was oblivious to them, or at least gave a convincing impression of being so, and his bright smile and genuinely inquisitive expression remained in place as Jim knocked on the office door. 

Entering at Simon’s command, Jim let Ben precede him, interested to see how his new friend and his boss interacted on meeting for the first time, but also ready to step in if he felt it necessary; his protective instinct strong. 

Offering the captain a wide smile as the big man rose to his feet to greet him, Ben held out his hand politely, apparently unfazed by the other man’s imposing height and build. “Captain Banks, Dr Ben Francis at your service. I’m so pleased to meet you. Jim’s told me a lot about you, and I understand that you’ve been very supportive of him since his senses came fully online.” 

Although fully prepared to dislike what he had expected to be a stuffy, pompous academic on sight, Simon found himself completely won over by the attractive and charming young man. Grasping the small hand in his large one, he shook it firmly, indicating the chairs in front of his desk. 

“Pleased to meet you also, Dr Francis. Why don’t you and Jim take a seat and make yourselves comfortable? I’ve a feeling that this could be a pretty deep discussion!” 

If anything, Ben’s smile got even brighter and he nodded agreeably as he took his seat, leaving the one nearer the door for Jim. He was well aware that it would be the sentinel’s natural instinct to guard the entrance, and didn’t want to embarrass Jim by drawing attention to the automatic action. 

Once they were seated, Simon offered them a cup of gourmet coffee from his personal machine, and when both men accepted gratefully, he busied himself with pouring three mugs, giving himself a little more time in which to prepare for what he was sure was going to be a somewhat incredible proposal. 

All three men sipped appreciatively at the fragrant brew for a few minutes, and then Simon put his mug down on the desk in front of him. 

“OK, gentlemen, no point in putting this off any longer. What is it that you want to run by me?” 

And taking him at his word, Ben glanced over at Jim to seek his approval, and at the detective’s small nod, he began. 

“First of all, Captain, I want to thank you for giving me – us – the opportunity to explain what we have come up with in regard to helping Jim keep working for you. I believe that you’re already well-versed in the whole sentinel phenomenon, and don’t want to lecture you unnecessarily, although please feel free to stop me if there’s something you need clarified.” 

When Simon nodded his assent, Ben continued. “The thing is, sir, that as you know, Jim is an alpha sentinel, which means that he will need a particularly strong guide if he intends to use his senses in the field; and until he finds one, it will be risky to say the least for him to expect to utilise his gift to the max. But I believe that he is strong enough to be able to at least keep the senses dialled down to a reasonable level with more practice, as long as he has the backup of someone who knows the danger signs as regards potential zone-outs and can step in where necessary. 

“Now I know that that just sounds like the job description for a well-trained but low-level guide, and indeed it is, but as I say, it would still only be enough to allow Jim to function satisfactorily at a slightly higher level than he has up until now. But since I understand that he is a more than competent investigator already, I’m sure that you would consider that as an acceptable option?” 

Simon studied him carefully, his shrewd gaze flitting between Ben to Jim and back as he considered Ben’s words. So far, there was nothing he hadn’t expected, so was well aware that there was more to come. “OK, Dr Francis. So far you haven’t told me anything I didn’t already know, and had considered. But up until now Jim’s always maintained that he didn’t want a guide under any circumstances, and to be brutally honest, none of the department’s available guides would be strong enough to even back him up in the field at a basic level. So I’ve a feeling there’s a big ‘but’ coming up. Am I right? 

“And perhaps this is the point at which Jim would like to speak for himself?” he added somewhat reprovingly. 

Ben nodded then, accepting the small rebuke and turning to glance apologetically at Jim. “Sorry, man,” he murmured, a rueful grimace flitting across his expressive face. 

“That’s OK, Chief. Ah, Dr Francis. No problem,” Jim replied amiably. “But yes, you’re right, sir,” he continued, meeting Simon’s speculative gaze steadily, “there’s something I need to add even though it may not be anything you want to hear. 

“Thing is, sir, what Dr Francis is leading up to is that at least for the foreseeable future, I believe that he’s the only one I can work with in the field, whether or not he actually is a guide. The fact is that not only is he the leading expert on guide-related studies, but he has already helped me immensely in getting a handle on controlling the senses. I know I already explained to you how I hadn’t been able to either suppress them or manage them with any of the techniques I’ve been accustomed to using before, but as long as he’s with me, I don’t have a problem. So, with his help and support, I can still do my job, sir.” 

By now Simon had a fair idea what was coming next, but he needed it spelled out and in the open. “That’s all very well, Jim, but how do you propose that he does that?” Turning to face Ben again he said, “I realise that you have all the necessary theory and perhaps even practical experience in guiding techniques, but apart from the fact that you’re a busy man in your own right, how would you, as an untrained civilian, expect to cope with the sort of dangers a cop has to deal with on a day-to-day basis? And what reason can you give me to take to the Chief of Police and Commissioner to convince them that it’s worth the risk?” 

Ben met his gaze steadily, his determination clear as he responded firmly, “You’re right, sir, in that I have no idea how well I’ll hold up when in the field, but I would like to point out that I’m not completely without experience of hardship and danger. I have already been on several quite taxing expeditions during my years at Rainier, particularly in South America, and am not unfamiliar with potentially dangerous confrontations with local indigenous people as well as drug runners and corrupt officials too. But I am more than willing to offer my help and advice in order to keep Jim functioning satisfactorily, as I believe that a sentinel of his ability shouldn’t be wasted. He is naturally disposed to be a tribal guardian and should be allowed to fulfil his destiny, or live up to his potential, if you prefer. 

“And as for a reason for me riding with him, how about this? As you say, at the moment I am still considered to be the leading expert in guide studies, and what better way for me to get more data for future research than from first-hand experience of observing the PD’s strongest sentinel in action? And if in doing so I can help Jim find his true guide, then all the better! 

“Of course, I know that my responsibilities at Rainier mean that I can’t be available all the time, but I’ll do my utmost to be there for as long as Jim needs me, and am fully prepared to stand in as surrogate guide. I might not have the guide gene, but I do have the knowledge to make this work to at least a reasonably satisfactory degree as far as the police department is concerned. And I’m also prepared to sign any waiver you require of me.” 

As he finished his fervent declaration, he sat back, his posture and earnest expression conveying his determination to convince Simon of his sincerity. 

As far as Jim was concerned, he couldn’t have been prouder of his young friend, and also deeply touched that Ben should do such a thing for him, because for sure no one had ever offered to make such a sacrifice on his behalf before, and the realisation humbled him. He couldn’t understand how Ben could consider Jim worthy of his selfless proposition after such a brief acquaintance, but knew that he would do everything in his power to make sure the young man never regretted it. 

As for Simon, for several minutes he simply regarded his two visitors carefully, internally weighing up his options and mulling over their information. He had to admit that he had been pleasantly surprised by Dr Francis, both as a person and in terms of his apparent care and concern for Jim; his apparent youthfulness notwithstanding. And as far as his friend and subordinate was concerned, Simon doubted if he’d ever before seen such an expression of real affection on the big man’s patrician face directed at anyone, let alone this young professor. 

Hoping that he wasn’t about to make a huge error of judgement, he finally sighed deeply and sat back, a wry grimace creasing his dark features. Pushing his wire-rimmed glasses up in an attempt to massage away the incipient tension headache building behind his eyes with thumb and forefinger, he kept the pair waiting a little longer before looking up to meet their anxious and expectant gazes. 

“OK, gentlemen, we’ll try it your way. Providing I can get the Chief and Commissioner to agree, I’ll do my best to get Dr Francis a ride-along pass for ninety days. If nothing untoward happens by the end of it, we’ll play it by ear as to how to proceed, but I’ll be honest with you when I say that I hope that by then Jim will have found his match in a compatible guide so that you can be released from your responsibility towards him, Dr Francis. 

“So, if you’ll see yourselves out, gentlemen, I have some nifty tap dancing to do!” and he rose to his feet to send them on their way. 

As he stood up alongside Jim, Ben smiled up at the tall captain, his sincere gratitude and relief plain to see. “Thank you, Captain Banks. For both your patience and your understanding. You won’t regret it, sir!” 

“And I’ll hold you to that!” Simon responded with a pained grimace even if his tone was mildly jocular. “Now go, and I’ll see you both around midday tomorrow, because I should have something concrete to report by then.” 

And with that the two men left the office and closed the door behind them. 

Walking back to Jim’s desk, Ben was almost bouncing with barely-contained nervous energy as he grinned up into Jim’s warmly appreciative gaze. His attractive face glowing with happiness and no little relief, he said, “Well, that went much better than I expected, I have to say, Jim. And I’m so glad that you were right about your boss being fair minded and far-seeing. But now I’m afraid I have to head out back to the U for my office hours. 

“Are we still on for tonight?” he added hopefully. 

“You bet, Chief!” Jim replied, stomping ruthlessly down on a sudden urge to hug the stuffing out of the smaller man. “See you around 6.30. Enjoy the rest of your day!” 

Ben nodded eagerly and offered Jim a warm smile as he turned to go, and as he left the bullpen, Jim had the distinct impression that a lot of the room’s energy and light left with him.  


\-----------------------  


**That evening, Ben’s apartment:**  


Jim pulled into a dedicated visitor’s parking space outside Ben’s building, taking a moment to look around him and study the area and nodding to himself in approval at what he saw. It was a pleasant spot, close enough to the University to be practical, but also affluent and quiet enough to offer a sense of low-key gentility and security. Reaching for the bottle of wine he had brought with him, he climbed out of his beloved classic truck and headed for the front door, pausing to push the intercom button for Ben’s second floor apartment. As soon as he had announced himself the door was buzzed open, and he entered the clean and tastefully decorated lobby, heading for the elevator as he didn’t want to waste any time in reconnecting with his friend. 

As soon as he reached Ben’s apartment door, it was thrown open to reveal a cheerfully grinning Ben, his eyes sparkling with real joy as he ushered his guest inside. 

“Hey, Jim, right on time, as I should have known! Come on in, man, and let me take your coat. Would you like a drink while you’re waiting? Dinner won’t be too long, and I only have the finishing touches to do.” 

Jim grinned in gentle bemusement at the sheer number of words Ben could utter without taking a breath, and held out his offering of wine as he replied. “That would be good, Chief. Do you have a beer?” he asked hopefully. “A cold one would go down well right now.” 

“Coming right up, man!” Ben replied cheerfully. “And thanks for the wine, Jim. It’ll complement the meal really well, so I’ll open it up to breathe for a space if that’s OK with you?” 

“Perfect, Ben. And I think I smell home-made lasagne,” he continued, his expectant gaze meeting Ben’s amused one. 

“Got it in one, Jim, and I’m glad you approve. I do love to cook whenever I have time, but often I can’t be bothered when there’s just me, so this is a treat for me too. Anyhow, take a seat, or look around if you like while I get your beer. ‘Mi casa, su casa’, and all that!” and so saying, he headed for the kitchen to retrieve the requisite beverage. 

Jim took him at his word, and slowly wandered around the great room, taking in the pleasant view of the nearby park from the big picture window, and noting the general set-up. It was a nice place, airy and well-furnished but unpretentious, and Ben’s character was stamped all over it in the many artefacts scattered on every surface; the colourful ethnic wall hangings and masks; and the piles of books and magazines lying haphazardly on the occasional tables, most of which were specialist anthropology or archaeology issues. Having said that, it was clean beneath the untidiness, and Jim was pretty sure that one of the doors off the great room would open into Ben’s home office, and he just knew that the bookshelves within would be packed to overflowing with his precious papers and academic volumes. 

Turning his attention back to the great room, he noted the wide screen TV and state-of-the-art sound system not unlike his own, and he concluded that Ben probably enjoyed music as much as he did. 

He was just casting an eye over the coffee table nearest to him, and clamping down on his instinctive urge to reach out and line up the scattered magazines precisely to sentinel satisfaction when Ben appeared at his shoulder, beer bottle in hand and a knowing grin on his face. 

“Here you go, Jim. And I know what you’re thinking man! You’re just itching to straighten this place up, aren’t you?” 

Chuckling sheepishly, Jim took the bottle saying, “Got it in one, Chief! Sorry, Ben. Call it OCD or a sentinel failing, but I’m stuck with it! No offence, I hope?” 

Plopping down on the nearest sofa, his own beer bottle raised to tap with Jim’s, Ben replied, “None taken, Jim! I’m not offended, man! I know just what a slob I am, even though I did try to do something about it when I was younger. Felt sorry for the staff having to pick up after me, I guess, so I tried not to make their lives more miserable than they already were,” and for a brief moment his happy grin morphed into an introspective and plainly disturbed frown. 

However, before Jim could remark on it, he shook it off determinedly and grinned again. “Bet your place is pristine, huh, Jim? And I hope that you’re taking all the precautions I told you about as regards sentinel-friendly products? I only want you to be comfortable, man.” 

Accepting the change of subject, Jim nodded affably. “Yep, Chief. I went shopping again after I left work today and I think I’ve got everything on your list. And can I say I really appreciate your advice, Ben. You’ve already made my life bearable, and I can’t thank you enough for that.” 

Sobering in the face of Jim’s sincerity, Ben blushed a little as he met Jim’s steady gaze. 

“You’re welcome, man. It’s no more than you deserve. And I think the lasagne’s ready, so are you ready to eat?” 

And Jim was happy to let his friend off the hook, as it was obvious that Ben was uncomfortable with the praise, however much it was due. 

“Sure thing, Ben! Smells delicious, and I can’t wait to get my teeth into a home-cooked meal!”   


\------------------------  


Later on, the two men sat side by side on the sofa, comfortably replete and enjoying an after dinner coffee. Jim had good-naturedly run through a few exercises that Ben suggested, even though he was a bit sceptical about utilising meditation techniques to prepare himself. However, much to his surprise, under Ben’s gentle but persuasive tuition, he was able to relax far more easily than he expected, and told Ben so. 

However, what he didn’t say was that he was still convinced that it was Ben’s person that was the major factor in his current ability to control the senses, but since the young man was so adamant that he couldn’t possibly be a true guide, he didn’t push it for now, because after all, it was still very early days in their relationship and he was nothing if not stubbornly determined in his intention to change Ben’s mind. 

Having said that, he did admit to himself that it was increasingly difficult to keep his hands to himself other than friendly pats, because the animal attraction he felt towards the young professor was definitely there and growing stronger. As a very tactile person, it remained to be seen just how long he would be able to keep his touches – and his thoughts – platonic, although he was sure that in time he would have his way. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t pick up on the whiffs of pheromones and occasional furtive glances Ben sent his way, even if he kept his conversation amiable and innuendo-free. 

But now wasn’t the time to pursue such amorous intentions, because the last thing he wanted was to scare Ben off before they’d even settled into whatever working partnership they could manage. 

As for Ben, he knew that Jim could probably scent him and discern his attraction to his new friend, but he also believed to the depths of his soul that it would be unfair, if not positively unethical to put the moves on Jim even if the big man reciprocated. His theory about true sentinel and guide partnerships being together in all ways meant that whoever Jim finally decided on to be his guide would inevitably become his life-partner, and Ben certainly didn’t want to be any sort of hindrance when that happened. Not to mention that it would probably break his heart, but he wasn’t going there. Not yet, anyway. 

So he mentally sat on his hands and kept his baser thoughts to himself as he maintained his amicable front, finding to his delight that Jim was an entertaining conversationalist, and that they apparently had far more in common than they might have expected given their very different characters and physical attributes. 

As well as a shared interest in music and literature; although Ben admitted that his teaching and continuing research left little time for indulging in lighter fiction; they quickly discovered a mutual love of baseball and basketball. 

Jim also admitted to have been a successful football jock at high school, as well as being pretty good at basketball, but confessed ruefully that at around six foot two he was actually too short to make the first team. 

At that, Ben couldn’t help but chuckle self-deprecatingly. “Man, how do you think I felt? Actually, I did get picked quite frequently for minor ‘friendly’ matches though, because I’m short enough to duck and dodge under the big guys’ arms. Must have irritated the heck out of visiting players trying not to trip over me! 

“But of course there was no way I was ever going to play heavy-duty contact sports, even if I did make the teams in baseball and softball. See, despite being short, I’ve always been able to throw accurately, so I was pretty much the school’s star pitcher. 

“And to be honest, the only other activity I enjoy is horse riding, although I don’t get much chance to do any these days,” he finished a little sadly, ducking his head as if to avoid expected ridicule. 

Jim couldn’t quite contain his surprise as he studied the smaller man, his interest piqued at the shy admission. But if Ben thought Jim was going to mock him, he was wrong. 

“You know, Chief, I used to ride as a kid too. I mean, like you we had a pretty privileged childhood, I guess, and Dad had horses up at the Country Club. But I haven’t ridden for years, though. 

“I suppose you could say that Steven is still connected to horses in a way though, because he manages the company that looks after the maintenance of the racetrack at Lastings Park!” 

At that, Ben looked up again, his confidence restored, and he grinned happily as he took up the thread again. “I’m guessing then that he gets the chance to watch the races for free any time he wants! Can’t be bad, man! 

“But my old horse is also still stabled at the Country Club, along with my family’s horses. And I freely admit that my choice wasn’t theirs! Monty is a pinto of indeterminate breeding, not like their classy thoroughbreds and quarterhorses. But he’s a real character, and suits me, so I insisted on keeping him even if being seen out with him lets the side down.” 

At that, Jim laughed aloud and clapped a friendly hand on Ben’s shoulder. To his way of thinking, the choice was both appropriate and understandable. From what he recalled about the Francis clan, Ben’s unique personality must be a constant source of perplexity and even exasperation, and in Jim’s view at least, that made him even more desirable. 

Eventually, however, both men reluctantly realised that Jim was going to have to make tracks if they were to get any worthwhile sleep that night. As he saw Jim to the door, a still slightly anxious Ben couldn’t help but ask, “Do you think that it really will be OK tomorrow, Jim? I mean, I was impressed by your captain, but you know him best. Do you think he can really pull it off and get my pass?” 

Jim smiled gently down into the worried blue eyes. “Yes, Chief, I’m sure he’ll do it. Once he sets his mind to something, he’ll go for it one hundred per cent. If anyone can convince the Chief and Commissioner, it’d be him, so try not to worry, OK? I think that we’ll get the go-ahead for our working partnership, and then it’ll be up to us what we make of it.” 

His words seemed to reassure Ben, and the young man smiled up at him again. 

“In that case, see you tomorrow, Jim. Sleep well!” 

And as he had covertly secured another of Ben’s used paper napkins, Jim was confident that he would.  



	4. Part 4: A Deepening Connection

**Part 4: A Deepening Connection:**  


**Following Day, MCU bullpen:**  


Grinning fondly, Jim looked on as Ben fingered his new pass, his face alight with such uncomplicated joy that one would have thought he’d just been awarded another degree. 

“Oh, Jim! This is great!” he enthused, looking up to beam at his bigger companion. “Captain Banks really came through for you, didn’t he? Just goes to show what high esteem he holds you in, my man!” 

Jim snorted dismissively at that, although his grin didn’t falter as he responded, “Not so sure about that, Chief. I think it’s much more likely that he was impressed by your qualifications and explanation. And he’d be a fool to turn down the opportunity of having an unpaid unofficial consultant of your standing in his unit for a while, sentinel stuff notwithstanding. 

“But seriously, although I’m truly glad of his support, I’m still feeling pretty guilty about accepting your offer of help, Chief. Although I know that having you ride with me is the only way to keep on working, it’s a dangerous world out there, and I hate the thought of you getting hurt.” 

Ben’s expression sobered at once, the determination clear in his eyes as he said firmly, “And that’s enough with the guilt-trip, Jim! I may be very young, but I’m not naïve as I told your captain. Yes, I’m nervous about going out in the field with you, but it’s more because I’m afraid I’ll let you down or make a stupid mistake that could get you killed rather than on my own behalf. But we won’t know until we try, and I’m not backing down, Jim. This,” and he tapped the pass with his forefinger, “is just the first step to getting your gift up and running for the good of the tribe, just as it should be.” 

Jim had the good grace to look a little sheepish at the mild admonishment, peering up apologetically from beneath his lashes as he murmured, “OK, Chief. I hear you, Ben, and I’m sorry about unloading my concerns onto you. It’s just that I feel so protective of you, and I don’t want you to suffer for your generosity of spirit. But you know I’ll do my best to keep you safe, Chief. That goes without saying.” 

Ben smiled again at that, completely unable to resist that expression, and reached out to squeeze Jim’s forearm comfortingly. “Yeah, I _do_ know, Jim, and I appreciate it, believe me. So, what do we do now?” 

However, he realised that he had momentarily lost Jim’s attention as the older man frowned in irritation, gazing at something over Ben’s shoulder. 

Turning to follow Jim’s line of sight, he saw two very different individuals approaching, although it was obvious that they were well acquainted. A large, smiling and ebullient African American wearing an outrageous Hawaiian shirt virtually bounced towards them, trailed by a smaller, more restrained but very dapper young white man. Stopping in front of the pair, the bigger man addressed Jim cheerfully. “Hey, Jim! Who’s the kid? Aren’t you going to introduce us?” 

Although initially prepared to bristle in affront at his tactless colleague’s words, Jim caught a glimpse of Ben’s expression, which was one of impish glee rather than indignation. Reassured, Jim winked surreptitiously and moderated his expression and tone to one of studied politeness as he replied. 

“Detective Henri ‘H’ Brown, allow me to introduce Dr Benjamin Francis, Professor of Anthropology at Rainier University, who is here to do some research on certain aspects of police procedure, and who will be riding with me for a while. And this is H’s long-suffering partner, Detective Brian Rafe,” he added, turning to address Ben as he gently urged the smaller man forward with a possessive hand in the small of his back. 

The wide-eyed surprise on H’s face was a picture as his companion rolled his eyes in exasperation, clearly used to his partner’s bull-headed if well-meaning approach. 

“Uh, right, man. Uh, hi Dr Francis. Um, sorry about that, babe. Didn’t mean to offend,” he stuttered, holding out a large hand for Ben to shake. 

Jim could barely restrain his smirk when Ben simply beamed unaffectedly up into H’s worried face and shook the offered hand firmly. “None taken, Detective Brown. You won’t be the first to mistake me for a school kid, I assure you, although I do admit to being younger than most people expect for a doctoral graduate. 

“But please call me Ben, because that ‘Dr’ stuff is still pretty recent, and I’m not actually that comfortable with it anyway!” 

Immediately relaxing again, which was Ben’s intention, H grinned happily back, bounce firmly back in place. “Ben it is, then, babe. And I’m H. Pleased to meet you, my man! And this,” he added, turning to drag his friend forward, “is Brian Rafe, aka ‘Mr GQ’, and I think you can see why!” 

The other man rolled his eyes again, his pained but fond expression evidence that he was overly familiar with the joke, and resigned to it. However, he too held out his hand, saying, “Pleased to meet you also, Dr Francis. Ben. If you’re riding with Jim here, then you’re with the right guy if you want to see how the job’s done--” 

“As long as you can put up with the Ellison version of ‘charm’, that is,” H interjected with a snicker, nudging Jim none too gently in the side before rapidly withdrawing at the ferocious glare Jim directed at him. 

Laughing delightedly at the interaction between the detectives, Ben watched them with interest, certain that he was going to enjoy observing the unit’s personnel in action, and hopefully be of some practical assistance to them also. 

Just then, they were joined by a third person, this one an older African American, somewhat portly, but with a pleasant, genially smiling face. Jim’s answering smile was genuinely fond as he turned to Ben to make the introductions again while H and Rafe looked on. 

“Ben, meet Captain Joel Taggart, formerly Captain of the Bomb Squad, but now seconded to Major Crimes, for which we are eternally grateful! Joel, this is Dr Ben Francis, of Rainier University’s Anthropology Department. He’s going to be riding with me for a while to observe how we work and collect data for his research.” He knew that the vague explanation wouldn’t hold up under questioning, but both he and Ben had agreed that they would keep the real reason for his presence on a need-to-know basis for the time being if possible, simply to avoid unnecessary complications. 

It was apparently enough for the big captain for now, even if his dark eyes and shrewd gaze seemed to read more into it than Jim was comfortable with. However, he smiled appreciatively down at Ben and took Ben’s hand in both of his, his greeting sincere as he said warmly, “I’m very pleased to meet you, Dr Francis. I hope that you have a very satisfactory experience here in the MCU, and I look forward to getting to know you better over the coming weeks.” 

Ben knew instinctively that the big man was entirely genuine, and felt an immediate reciprocal liking for him. “It’s Ben, Captain Taggart, and I’m very pleased to meet you also. And I’m sure that I’m going to enjoy every minute here!” 

Taggart smile broadly at that, utterly won over by the young man. “Ben it is, as long as you call me Joel, at least in informal situations,” he replied amicably. “But now I’m afraid I must get on. I have a meeting with Captain Banks, and then one with the Chief, so there’s no rest for the wicked!” and with that, he sketched the group a brief salute and strode towards Simon’s office, affectionate gazes following his progress. 

Turning to look up at Jim, Ben murmured, “He seems like a really nice guy, Jim. A good person to work with.” 

“That he is, Ben,” Jim replied seriously. “He’s had the misfortune of being paired with me more than once, and I can confirm that the man has the patience of a saint!” 

He chose to ignore H’s amused snort other than glaring repressively at the younger detective, but it worked anyway, and the other pair moved away after nodding pleasantly to Ben. But even Ben could hear H’s stage whisper as he muttered, “Yeah, and that kid’s going to have to have the same if he’s got to deal with the Ellison ‘tude, man!” 

And Ben simply couldn’t help dissolving into giggles at the low growl and aggrieved frown the comment elicited from Jim. 

However, despite his initial burst of self-righteous indignation, Jim found that he wasn’t immune to Ben’s honest and affectionate merriment, and found his lips curling upwards in a reluctant grin. 

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Chief! But don’t say you haven’t been warned!” 

Twinkling eyes smiled up at him as the smaller man replied, “Oh, I won’t, Jim! Promise! 

“But what do you want to do now? My afternoon’s clear as far as Rainier is concerned, so I’m all yours!” 

Jim nodded contentedly at that. “In that case, Chief, how about we get the rest of your paperwork taken care of, then I’ll give you the guided tour, OK? As Simon told us, I’m cleared for active duty as from tomorrow morning, so we might as well get the tedious stuff out of the way, huh?” 

And a cheerfully smiling Ben said, “Sure, Jim! Sounds like a plan, and I’m good to go. Lead on, my man!” and with that, Jim placed his hand where it wanted to be at the small of his young friend’s back and smiled down at his eagerly bouncing companion, pure affection softening the chiselled lines of his handsome face.   


\--------------------------  


**Some weeks later, Ben’s office, Rainier campus:**  


Seated at his desk, Ben rubbed absentmindedly at his sore eyes, trying to concentrate on the words on the computer screen in front of him. He was attempting to work on an article intended for ‘Anthropology Today’ magazine, and although the subject matter was fascinating, he was finding it hard to focus. Suddenly, a tap on the door interrupted his efforts, and he called out cheerfully, “Come in!” as he saved and closed the document for later. 

His smile broadened as he saw that his visitor was Eli Stoddard, and he waved the older man over. “Eli! Good to see you, man! I didn’t realise you were back from the seminar in Seattle. How’d it go, man?” 

Eli smiled warmly at his young friend and protégé, although his gaze was shrewd as he studied Ben carefully. To his mind, the young man looked somewhat frayed around the edges even though he seemed cheerful enough, and Eli wondered if his suspicions were about to be confirmed: that Ben was burning the candle at both ends trying to juggle his work at Rainier with being at Detective Ellison’s beck and call at every spare moment. However, he answered readily enough, not wishing to upset his young friend. 

“It went very well, Ben, thank you for asking. Old Professor Dowdy was on fine form as usual, rubbing everyone up the wrong way whenever and wherever he could, but for the most part it was very informative. I’ve brought along copies of all the papers I could get my hands on for your interest, especially George Grinnell’s latest thoughts on sentinel and guide genome research. I think that you’ll find it thought-provoking, if nothing else!” 

Ben grinned appreciatively at that, the humour and gratitude in his big blue eyes clear to see. “Thanks, Eli, that was very good of you. I’ll certainly enjoy reading everything you can give me, especially Grinnell’s paper. Wonder what he’s come up with this time?” and he chuckled somewhat sardonically, aware of the man’s well-earned reputation for being a pompous windbag. 

“Anyhow, is there anything you need, Eli? I was just about to finish up here and go to the PD, but if there’s anything you want doing first?” 

Eli studied him a little longer before replying, his head tilted to one side as he took in the dark circles beneath Ben’s big blue eyes and the slightly forced bounce as the young man looked quizzically back at him. Deciding to come straight out with his thoughts, even if it angered Ben, Eli allowed his concern to colour his words. “No, dear boy, there’s nothing in particular, and I know that you’re keeping up with your workload here. Your conscientiousness is never in doubt. But I do want to ask you – as a friend – how you’re really doing? All this constant rushing back and forth between here and the PD is plainly exhausting you, dear boy! I’m so used to viewing you as the Anthropology Department’s resident Energiser Bunny, but with everything you’ve taken on recently, even your batteries have to run down at some point. 

“Now, before you say anything, I know very well what this study means to you, and it most certainly will be benefitting Detective Ellison, but isn’t it time to call it a day? I mean, you must only have a couple of weeks left anyway before that pass of yours runs out. Surely with your help and advice Ellison has learned enough by now to be able to control his senses at least enough to keep them dialled down until he finds a compatible guide?” 

What he had no intention of saying was that Jim wasn’t alone in thinking that Ben might, in fact, be a very suitable candidate for the role. Eli was well aware of Ben’s adamant, if mistaken beliefs concerning his own shortcomings both as a person and in the guide gene department, and kept his own counsel as to whether or not his young friend should get tested after all, telling himself firmly that he had no right to put any more pressure on Ben than the young man was no doubt already under. And if that choice was partly selfish, then so be it. He was in no hurry to lose Ben for either Eli’s own sake or that of the university. 

Ben sighed deeply, and glanced away for a long moment, trying to control his desire to snap at Eli and tell him to mind his own business. But he knew that the older man only had Ben’s welfare at heart, and didn’t deserve any churlishness from his assistant, so he did his best to try and put Eli’s mind at rest as much as possible. Which wasn’t going to be easy, seeing as he himself was uncertain as to how long the present state of affairs could last. 

Looking up again, Ben met Eli’s concerned expression steadily, offering a gentle, reassuring smile as he began. “I’m fine, Eli, honestly! I mean, yes, I’m a bit tired, but that’s only because Jim’s had a heavy caseload to deal with, and I couldn’t leave him to handle it alone, because most of them required him to use the senses to the extent that he could.” 

However, he couldn’t help but grin happily at Eli as he continued, the real enthusiasm in voice and demeanour building as he spoke, such that the older man was left under no illusion that Ben was pretty much hooked on the whole situation. 

“I tell you, Eli, I’ve been truly amazed at how well Jim managed on so many occasions! I mean, for a sentinel without a permanent guide, his range and control is already awesome, so if he reaches his potential he’ll surely outclass anything I’ve ever witnessed or researched before. And I’ll bet you that he could turn out to be the strongest alpha the Pacific North West has ever known! It’s been a real honour and one of the best experiences of my life – if not _the_ best - to have had the opportunity to work with him, Eli. And he’s become a good friend too,” he added, almost shyly. 

Everything about his young friend convinced Eli of his sincerity, so he told himself firmly to back off and leave well alone for a little longer. But he also intended to keep a watchful eye on Ben, and to be prepared to be there for him should he ever need it. And to hope and pray that his decision to introduce Ben to Jim Ellison in the first instance wasn’t going to come back and bite them all in their collective asses. 

Summoning a smile, Eli nodded briskly. “OK, then, Ben, I’ll let you get on, son. Take care, and keep safe, my boy, and give Detective Ellison my best. See you in the morning?” 

“You bet, Eli,” replied Ben affably. “And thanks again for those papers, man!” 

“You’re welcome, my boy,” and Eli turned to leave, still unconvinced that Ben was as together as he appeared but not about to unsettle him further.   


\---------------------------  


A somewhat bemused Ben stared at the closed door for a few moments after his friend had left, pondering on Eli’s words. He realised that the older man was genuinely concerned for his health and welfare, and appreciated the fact, even though he believed that in this instance it was unnecessary. Sure, he was tired, but it was a ‘good’ sort of tired insofar as he felt that his efforts at both the PD and at Rainier were worthwhile, and after all, he didn’t expect to be able to continue at the same pace indefinitely. Eventually Jim would find that elusive guide, and Ben would be redundant, except, hopefully, as a friend and occasional advisor. 

But he wasn’t going there, and firmly pushed the depressing thought to the back of his mind. Smiling gently, he returned to the more pleasing subject of Eli, snickering softly as he contemplated his old friend and mentor. _Trust Eli to be worried about me!_ But then his smile faded again as he realised that Stoddard was more of a father figure to him than Daniel had ever been. 

But then again, he couldn’t find it in him to blame his father for that. Daniel had been hamstrung by his upbringing in a way that Ben was determined not to be, his privileged background notwithstanding. Not for him the worship of the almighty dollar or the insincere and superficial so-called ‘friendships’ and relations held at arm’s length in order to avoid unseemly emotions. It was a shallow, self-centred existence, and even though Ben knew he had no right to sanctimonious condemnation, he didn’t have to embrace it himself. He accepted that he was more than comfortable, what with his salary from Rainier and his personal allowance -which he tried not to dip into if possible – but not for him the trappings of conspicuous wealth. 

Unless of course, you counted Monty, and his generous lips curled upwards at that thought. He really should make time to take his four-legged friend out for a ride. It would do them both good, because although the grooms at the Country Club kept the old horse exercised and well-looked after, only Ben knew what he – what they both – enjoyed in terms of riding out. His grin widened further as he contemplated asking Jim to join him, maybe this weekend if he could get the time off. Now there was a thought! 

Now feeling decidedly more cheerful, and looking forward to arriving at the PD with happy anticipation, he finished tidying his desk in readiness to leave.  


\-----------------------  


As Ben drove to the PD, he wondered what the afternoon would have in store for him, a frisson of delicious excitement running through him. Of course the main reason for his eagerness was seeing Jim again, and he knew that simply being in the sentinel’s presence was enough to satisfy his immediate need for the older man’s friendship, even though he didn’t deny that he still wanted so much more. But it was what it was, and frustrating as it might be, he would take what he could get, and that included the opportunity to interact with Jim’s friends and colleagues. 

And although his innate modesty prevented him from seeing it, he actually had every right to look forward to arriving at the PD, because he had most definitely made a positive impression and a worthwhile contribution even in such a short period of time. Although initially greeted with a few raised eyebrows and a certain amount of wariness on the part of some of Jim’s colleagues in the Major Crimes unit; and definitely in other departments; within a surprisingly short time Ben made himself at home. His cheerful, helpful disposition quickly won over all but the most miserable individuals, and even though his actual role as Jim’s stand-in guide and backup was still known to only a handful of people, he was soon accepted as a useful source of information in so many respects; his agile and encyclopaedic brain enabling him to tackle problems – and cases – of all types from a different, and usually correct angle. And since he was never condescending or arrogant despite his impressive qualifications, his input was accepted gracefully and much appreciated. 

In the field, he had also surprised himself by his ability to think on his feet when faced with any threat to either himself or more importantly, the sentinel. He knew Jim was very protective of him, and hated it when Ben got into trouble, but so far he had been able to convince Jim that he was there by choice, and therefore at his own risk. Not that it placated the sentinel much, but Ben was insistent. Yes, he got frightened, but not enough as yet to render him incapable of doing his best for both Jim and any other innocent and unwitting victims involved, using either his impressive power of persuasion or failing that, whatever came to hand. 

Having said that, he had already been verbally threatened, shot at, held hostage and even knocked out briefly in the short time that he had been riding with Jim, but in his opinion such incidents were not only to be expected, but also overshadowed by Jim’s successes in closing the cases; more often than not by utilising his senses whenever appropriate. And when he did so, Ben’s pride in him was immense, and he couldn’t help but show it. Of course he had absolutely no concept of how important his own contribution had been, even though Jim made a point of telling him so. He simply assumed that Jim was just being kind, insisting that Ben’s value to him was far greater than it actually was, but even so he felt inordinately warmed by such consideration. 

Even Simon had been forced to admit that so far their scheme was working well, and with Ben’s support his lead detective was not only back at work, but also performing better than ever before. 

And it had to be said that yet another reason for Ben’s growing popularity was his beneficial influence on Jim. The big detective appeared to be mellowing and becoming more approachable day by day as he continued to soak up his young friend’s easy-going and affectionate camaraderie; his contentedness spilling over into his interactions with his work colleagues. 

Pulling into a free slot in the PD’s underground parking garage, Ben turned off the ignition and sat for a moment, drawing on the hidden reserves of energy he’d need to get him through the afternoon. Not that he minded, but he knew very well that by this evening he would be running on fumes, and grinned wryly to himself at the thought. But it wouldn’t prevent him from doing his best as usual to help Jim in whatever way the sentinel needed, and after all, he could always have an early night. 

The only thing that would make it better would be if it was a night spent in Jim’s arms, but he steadfastly refused to go there. It couldn’t happen, and he knew it, so there was no point in daydreaming. And with that thought resolutely in place, he climbed out of his car and headed for the elevator, already eager to see Jim again.  


\-----------------------  


**Earlier, in Simon’s office:**  


As he took a moment to prepare two mugs of fresh coffee, Simon surreptitiously studied his friend and subordinate. He had called Jim into his office in order to get an update on his best detective’s situation, especially as regards his on-going relationship with Dr Francis. As the young man’s pass was shortly due to expire, he needed to know if he should be getting prepared to apply for an extension, or simply allow it to run its course. And in all honesty, he believed that the former was most likely. 

Jim was looking relaxed and quietly content, his senses apparently under control and holding steady, as indeed they nearly always were these days. But Simon needed to know just how much of that control was down to Ben Francis’ influence rather than Jim’s personal power over his gift, because on that information rested his main argument for keeping the young man in the unit for a little longer. 

Turning to hand Jim his mug, he grinned at the other man as he took his seat at his desk, lifting his own mug to his nose to take an appreciative sniff. “I think you’ll like this one, Jim. It’s even better than the last one, so I think my cousin’s finally learning his trade. And about time too!” he chuckled as he took a sip. 

Jim sampled his own drink and offered his boss an answering grin. “Yep, I think you’re right, sir. This is good!” and he took another good sip before putting his mug down and meeting Simon’s steady gaze. 

“So, sir, what can I do for you? You have another case you want me to look at?” 

Simon shook his head then. “No, not yet anyway. But I do want to catch up with you, Jim. Both as your boss and your friend. As you know only too well, young Dr Francis’ pass is about to run out, and I need to know how you feel about that. You see, as far as I’m concerned, I think that our little experiment has worked very well insofar as you’re not only able to work again, but you’ve had some spectacular results, which have come to the notice of the Chief and Commissioner also. But I need to know whether you can keep up the good work by yourself now, or at least until we can find you a permanent guide. How good is your control, Jim? Do you still need Ben’s input or can we let him go?” 

He noted the darkening expression clouding Jim’s face, the lips thinning in irritation as a deep frown appeared between his brows. But the man was nothing if not honourable, and Simon realised that Jim’s anger wasn’t directed at him; or not too much, anyway. 

After a long moment, during which Jim wrestled with his instinctive desire to vent, he huffed an aggrieved sigh and finally spoke. “Sorry, sir. Simon. I know you’ve got your job to do, and I know that you have my best interests at heart, so I’ll try and explain what I feel. What I _know_ about how things are going between Ben and me. 

“As to whether I can control the senses by myself, the honest answer would be yes, but not in any good way. Without Ben’s presence I have to work so much harder at it, to the extent that I’m not much good for anything else while they’re threatening to overload. It’s not only his advice that helps me, but his grounding touch and voice. Which is why I’m convinced that he must be a guide - _my_ guide – despite his denial. I just wish he’d agree to get tested once and for all, but I know that insisting on it will only upset him more. 

“You see, Simon, I think he’s almost scared to find out. He’s so sure that he can’t have the gene because no one is his family has ever had it, and he doesn’t want it confirmed because the disappointment would be too great. 

“And there’s more, although I’m not sure whether you’ll want to hear it,” he added softly, his expression sad and almost resigned. 

Simon’s tone and gaze were both serious and troubled as he responded, but resolute for all that. “I’m guessing that I’m about to be treated to some serious Sentinel Voodoo shit, am I right? But I’m prepared to listen, Jim. I care about you, not just as my best detective, but as a friend. And I admit I’m getting pretty fond of that young professor too, especially because of the benign influence he’s had on you, man. The morale in the bullpen is better for it, so, fire away!” 

Jim smirked at that. “Funny, you’re not the only one to mention that, Simon. Anyone would think I was some sort of hard-assed loner!” and he snickered self-deprecatingly at Simon’s huff of wry amusement. Then his expression sobered again as he continued. 

“The thing is, sir, that for me it’s more than just a feeling that he’s meant to be more to me than he already is. I’ve made a point of reading his doctoral dissertation, and all the new stuff he’s written about guides and their role in a sentinel / guide partnership, and it’s brilliant, Simon! Insightful and compelling. It’s already accepted nowadays that the guide’s role is much more important than was previously believed, and a lot of the recent proof for that comes from Ben’s own research and published papers. He might be very young, but he’s certainly held in high esteem in academic circles from what I can figure out. But now he’s gone even further and reckons that a truly compatible working pair must go through some sort of ritual or process which creates a symbiotic, unbreakable bond. I know it sounds ‘out there’, Simon, but he told me how he’s seen it in action in indigenous sentinels and guides, and I believe him. He said that an alpha like me has to have a bonded, compatible guide in order to reach my full potential, and if that’s the case, then I’m certain that he’s it for me. 

“But how do I convince him of it, Simon? For all his achievements and background, basically he’s very self-effacing and can’t see how important he is to me. But by god, I intend to keep working on him! 

“I need him, Simon, and not just for the senses.” 

Simon gazed at him for a long moment, his expression speculative and not a little concerned. “OK, Jim. Well, you did say it was ‘out there’, and I can understand why you’d think I wouldn’t want to hear it. And I can tell you, man, that if it was almost anyone but you, I’d be laughing as I kicked their butt out of my office. 

“But strange as it may seem, Jim, I believe you. Or at east, I believe that _you_ believe what you say is true. And if that’s the case, how does this bond thing work? Is it like a civil or a marriage contract, or are we talking about something more physical? A consummation? Because if that’s so, how do you feel about that?” 

Jim grimaced and shook his head ruefully at that. “No, Simon, I don’t think it’s like a marriage contract, sir. If I understand Ben’s theory correctly, then the sentinel fully ‘imprints’ his guide with all his senses, and the best way of doing that is through the sexual act. 

“And I’m sure that that’s another reason why Ben’s so diffident about the whole deal. I can tell that he’s attracted to me, but he won’t act on it because he thinks I need another guide and doesn’t want to get in the way. He’s a great friend, but that’s it.” 

“But what about you, Jim? I mean, I didn’t have you figured as someone who swung both ways, but now I’m not so sure.” 

“Me, Simon? To be honest, I can’t really say. But I have occasionally been known to scratch an itch with a like-minded buddy in the army, but with no strings attached, if you know what I mean? I know!” he said, holding up his hand in a plea for silence as Simon opened his mouth to comment, “I know that’s too much information, but it’s a fact, sir. And what I feel for Ben is far more than that. I don’t think I’ve ever been so attracted to anyone before, male or female. It’s just the way it is. A ‘sentinel and guide’ thing, or a ‘Jim and Ben’ thing, or a bit of both, who knows? 

“But in answer to your original question, sir, yes. I do want you to see if you can get an extension to his pass. Please.” 

Simon pursed his lips, plainly not happy, but resigned to accepting Jim’s fervent words and acting upon them for at least a while longer. 

“OK, then, Jim. Leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do. I don’t think it’ll be that much of a problem while your success rate is so impressive, so when Ben gets in, you can tell him the good news. 

“Now, don’t you have work to be getting on with?” 

And with a grin, Jim rose to his feet, accepting the abrupt dismissal and grateful for his captain’s support and friendship. And as sentinel hearing picked up on a beloved heartbeat, he left the office and hurried to greet Ben as the young man entered the bullpen.   



	5. Part 5: Disaster Strikes

**Part 5: Disaster Strikes:**  


**Three weeks later, the loft:**  


“Oh, man! I needed this!” Ben grinned as he gazed at Jim over the rim of his wine glass. “Your spaghetti sauce is amazing, and really hit the spot!” 

Jim smiled fondly back at his friend. “Why, thank you kindly, sir!” he chuckled. “I just thought it was about time I reciprocated, because I always seem to be coming round to your place to be fed. 

“Not that I’m complaining, Chief. Your cooking’s great, and I appreciate not having to cook for myself. And as you know, given the chance I’d be stuffing myself with Wonderburgers at every opportunity if it weren’t for you!” 

“Me and my nagging, you mean!” Ben snipped back with a laugh. “But seriously, Jim, this is really nice. A good end to a full – and productive – week. You’ve done amazing work in closing both the Harrison case and providing the information needed to set up the sting on Maloney’s latest drug deal. Narcotics couldn’t have managed without your input, and they know it. And to get Maloney off the streets is a fantastic result.” 

Jim looked quietly gratified at his friend’s fervent declaration, but internally sighed since yet again the young man failed to give himself due credit for his part in the sentinel’s performance. But now wasn’t the time to call him on it – again – because he knew that it would only upset Ben and disrupt their pleasant and much-needed relaxation time. So he simply grinned at Ben and topped up his wine glass as he said, “You’re right, Chief, insofar as getting Maloney put away is great news. But it wasn’t just down to me, after all. There were a whole lot of us involved, so we can all pat ourselves on the back. And let’s toast to that scumbag serving a long, long jail term!” 

The more general comment worked, and Ben nodded happily as they clinked glasses. “I’m down with that! Cheers, Jim!” he chuckled, his beautiful eyes shining in pleasure and the admiration for Jim that he could never quite hide. 

As he took a sip of his wine, Jim couldn’t help but study his friend, warmed by the affection in Ben’s gaze and soaking up the delicious feelings of contentment and peace the young man’s presence always bestowed upon him. It seemed to Jim that they were even more in tune now, even though he had yet to break through the protective barrier Ben had placed between them from the outset. 

In all fairness, Jim recognised that they had both relaxed to a certain extent since the granting of an extension of Ben’s pass, even if for different reasons. For Ben, the extra time relieved some of the immediate pressure on them to find an effective solution to the problem of locating Jim’s permanent guide, while granting him a little more precious time to indulge in what he still saw as a temporary role as the sentinel’s companion. 

And as for Jim, as far as he was concerned, the longer he had to work on changing Ben’s perception of himself the better. 

Their working partnership had settled to a familiar pattern, as Ben seemed to have gotten a second wind along with the reprieve provided by the new pass. Even though he was still carrying out his duties satisfactorily at Rainier, he was managing to spend at least part of each day with Jim either at the PD or in the evening, and it had to be said that they both enjoyed such down-time spent together. 

From Jim’s point of view, as long as his senses were given the opportunity of basking in Ben’s grounding presence on a regular basis, he could now manage to keep them under control for increasingly longer periods. However, he was under no illusions that such control could endure for a prolonged separation. Even now, his control would begin to slip if he hadn’t reconnected with Ben in twenty four hours, although he could stretch it a little longer if he had something of Ben’s to fall back on. Because yes, he was still making use of that little ruse, and no, he still hadn’t ‘fessed up to Ben about it. Mainly because it had become a habit – his own little secret – and he didn’t see the point of perhaps upsetting his friend unnecessarily. It wasn’t that he expected Ben to tease him about it either; it just was what it was, and now that Ben visited him at the loft on occasion, the task of appropriating articles that his friend had handled or otherwise come into contact with was so much easier. 

Having said that, he had to admit that he preferred to visit Ben’s apartment, because it was so much more welcoming in its homely clutter than the loft, which he now recognised as pristine but Spartan even though Ben took pains to praise its airiness and views of the city and marina. 

“Penny for them!” Ben’s amused voice cut into his brief reverie, and he grinned back. “Nothing worthwhile, Chief, just wool-gathering! And thinking about how much I enjoy your company, Ben. And not just for the sake of the senses either.” 

Ben blushed fetchingly at that. “That’s nice of you to say, Jim, and I have to say that it’s the same for me too. I mean, I know I have to go to socials at the U, and I like going out with my colleagues and students every so often, but these evenings are special, man. Just the two of us. It’s so relaxing,” and he grinned shyly as he met Jim’s appreciative gaze. 

_Gods, he’s truly beautiful!_ Jim thought, longing to take the young man in his arms and kiss him senseless, but holding back yet again for fear of irrevocably damaging their rapport. But soon, he promised himself. Soon the time would be right, and Ben would be his. He just had to be patient a little longer, however hard that might be. 

If he did but know it, Ben was having similar thoughts, but had worked hard at controlling his physical responses for both their sakes, still believing that he had no right to claim Jim for his own. But it was so hard, when the man was smiling at him like that, looking better than Michelangelo’s David. Having said that, there was no reason not to keep enjoying Jim’s company as much as possible, so he reeled in his straying thoughts and somewhat diffidently put forward the proposal he had intended to present to Jim at some point during the evening. 

“Uh, Jim, can I ask you something? It’s kind of a favour, really, and I won’t take it amiss if you turn me down, OK? It’s just that it’s my Grandfather Ben’s eightieth birthday in a couple of weeks’ time, and also my father’s fiftieth, so my family are going to be holding a big joint celebration bash at home. They’ll expect me to be there, of course, but said that I could bring a friend if I wanted, and I wondered if you’d like to come? 

“I know it’s not the sort of thing you really like, but I’d appreciate the support as well as the company, Jim. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but at least you know what to expect as we have similar backgrounds, and I know what might happen if I was to bring one of my fellow teachers with me. Eli wouldn’t mind at all, but most of my other friends have distinctly liberal leanings, and I can just see the fur and feathers begin to fly!” 

Although Jim could hardly say that the invitation was tempting, other than being another reason to spend time in Ben’s company, he knew he wasn’t about to refuse. It was clear that Ben truly wanted him to agree, and he had to admit to a certain curiosity in seeing his friend in the company of his family. It might be the sort of gathering he’d usually avoid like the plague, but Ben was correct insofar as Jim knew what to expect, and better still, how to fit in, even if unwillingly. 

Offering his anxious friend a wry grin, he nodded his assent. “OK, Ben. Stop worrying, I won’t take it the wrong way, and I appreciate the thought behind your invitation. I’m happy to come along as your backup on this occasion, Chief – after all, you back me up all the time! I’m guessing it’ll be black tie?” 

Ben’s answering smile was wide and relieved, his eyes sparkling with gratitude and affection. “Thanks, Jim! You’re a star! And yes, it’s black tie, but at least there’ll be good food and plenty of drink as compensation for putting up with me and my family, and we don’t have to stay for long after all the speeches and stuff.” 

“You’re welcome, Ben. So, you ready for coffee and that jags game?” And at his young friend’s eager nod, he got to his feet and began to clear the table, Ben automatically helping and the pair of them moving together in easy harmony.  


\--------------------------  


**Two weeks later, the Francis Mansion, Cascade Heights:**  


**Early afternoon:**  


As the cab made its way up the sweeping drive to the main house, Jim gazed with interest around him, easily recognising the place even though he hadn’t been here in years. If anything, it was even more impressive than he remembered, and today was decked out in all its tasteful glory for the birthday celebrations. The spacious and immaculately-kept gardens and grounds had been enhanced and used to their best advantage with the placement of many gazebos and large marquees on account of Cascade’s uncertain weather, but thus far it had been a warm and sunny day, so that the large number of society’s elite already present were making the most of it; strolling around in genteelly laughing groups while clutching champagne flutes and nibbling at freely-offered canapés. 

The cab pulled up close to the house, and Jim climbed out, straightening his already perfect suit coat after paying and thanking the driver and looked towards the imposing, porticoed entrance where he knew Ben was waiting for him. He had deliberately chosen to arrive by taxi rather than his classic truck, but not because he was in any way ashamed of it. Indeed, a mischievous inner demon would have loved to witness the shocked and disdainful glares and snide comments the old F150 would undoubtedly have elicited; but he figured that he would probably be indulging in more alcohol than usual if he was to get through this occasion with his sanity intact, and didn’t want to risk a DUI. 

A cheerful voice called out to him, and he grinned to see his friend approaching, face wreathed in happy – and relieved – smiles. Ben looked mouth-watering in a beautifully cut tux, shining curls haloing his stunning face; his attraction all the more enhanced in Jim’s opinion by the fact that he was completely unaware of the impact his appearance had on all around him. 

“Jim! !t’s so good to see you, man! And can I say you look fantastic! I think you’ll be fighting off a fair few hopeful debutantes for sure!” 

The open admiration in Ben’s eyes was clear to see, and Jim reached out to squeeze the younger man’s shoulder appreciatively as he replied, “You don’t look too shabby yourself, Chief! And those debs are going to have to wait their turn, kiddo, because there’s no way I’m leaving you unprotected in this up-market mating ground!” 

He couldn’t help but be warmed and gratified by Ben’s bashful blush and disarming shrug of the shoulders, even as he caught the brief, tell-tale whiff of pheromones. Not long now, surely…? 

But he swiftly reined in his lustful thoughts and snickered instead, saying, “OK, Chief, lead on! Let’s get this show on the road!” 

As far as Ben was concerned, he couldn’t have felt happier, despite the location. Jim had come through for him as he had promised, and frankly looked a million dollars. As Ben suspected, the big man might not have willingly embraced this sort of gathering, but he fitted in perfectly, his easy familiarity with wealth and status plain to see. His conservative but perfect tux fitted him like a glove, and although in Ben’s opinion the man could carry off anything with grace and style, in this particular outfit he looked magnificent. And he had made it plain that he was here for Ben, and wasn’t in the least bit interested in cruising for either female company or connections of any sort. And indeed, as they strolled around the gardens together, chatting amicably and enjoying the champagne, Ben felt more ‘at home’ in his own family home than he had ever felt before. 

However, they couldn’t avoid the inevitable for long, and somewhat reluctantly, Ben sought out his parents in order to formally introduce Jim. Not that he believed for one moment that they would disapprove of his choice of guest, seeing that they were long-time acquaintances of Jim’s father, but a small part of him was scared that interacting with his family might change Jim’s attitude towards him in some way, and he so didn’t want that. 

Nevertheless, he pasted on a well-practised, genial smile as they approached his family group, looking superficially at ease and smoothly polite as he greeted them, offering Suzanne the expected filial buss to her beautifully made-up cheek. 

“Mother, Father, Grandfather, may I introduce Detective Jim Ellison? I’m sure you’ll remember him,” and he stood slightly to one side to allow Jim to step forward. Suzanne ran a cool but definitely admiring eye over Jim as she held out her hand graciously for him to take. “Jim! How very good it is to see you again after all these years! I certainly do recall your previous visits here with your father and brother. And you certainly look well!” 

Jim smiled back equally graciously, but instead of shaking her elegant hand, he raised it to his lips and kissed the back of it in an old-fashioned but plainly much-appreciated gesture. “And I’m very pleased to be here, Mrs Francis. And may I offer you both congratulations on your birthdays, sirs,” he added, his gaze shifting to encompass Daniel and Ben Sr., who were looking on with polite and slightly predatory interest. “You have a lovely home here,” he continued smoothly, “and I remember it well.” 

The men nodded their appreciation, but much to Ben’s dismay, the encounter wasn’t going to end there even though he’d feared as much. Obviously a brief introduction wasn’t going to cut it unfortunately, as it was clear his parents wanted more information, but to what ends he didn’t like to think. 

Nevertheless, he had no doubt that Jim could more than handle himself under any such situation. He just shouldn’t have to, and Ben was mortified on behalf of his family. 

Grandfather Ben spoke first, shaking Jim’s offered hand. “Young Jimmy!” he mused. “You’ve grown into a fine-looking man, son. I recall you as a teenager, playing with young Ben here. And your brother also. It’s been too long since we saw you, my boy. But then again, I believe you had your own ideas about your future even then, am I right?” 

Jim smiled politely, although Ben fancied he could see the annoyance lurking in his friend’s ice blue eyes. “Thank you, sir. And yes, I do recall meeting Ben here on occasion. I was always impressed by his talent as a pitcher, which I believe he still has!” he added, casting an affectionate glance at Ben. 

“But as for my career choices, then yes, they weren’t what my father might have wanted or expected, but I had my reasons,” and his tone and expression, although still politely affable, plainly indicated that the subject was closed for discussion. 

However, Daniel wasn’t quite prepared to let it go, as he too looked pointedly at his son before meeting Jim’s gaze again. “Hmm, it would seem as if you and Ben have that in common then, Jim. He has always gone his own way also. But I suppose that he too has been successful in his way,” he added somewhat condescendingly. “But of course when the time comes, I’m sure that he’ll come around and take his rightful place in the company as expected.” 

Ben’s smile became strained at that, and unknown to him, sentinel senses had already picked up on his elevated heart rate and noted the tang of distress that momentarily tainted his delicious scent. However, he managed to answer cheerfully enough anyway. “I’m sure that it will be many years until that happens, Father. The company will be safe in yours and Grandfather’s hands for the foreseeable future! 

“So, if you’ll excuse us, I’d like to show Jim around a little more?” and he smiled easily up at them, his expression mildly expectant. 

All three nodded in polite dismissal, but Grandfather Ben had one more salvo to fire before they left. Smiling benignly, despite the definite glint in his penetrating gaze, he gestured expansively as he said, “Certainly, Ben. Please, go and enjoy yourselves. I’m sure that Jim will recognise quite a few of our guests. Oh, and I forgot to mention, your father’s here also, Jim! William and I go way back as you know, and I know he’ll be pleased to see you!” 

Jim’s expression hardened noticeably at that, although he replied amiably enough. “Thank you, sir. I’ll keep an eye out for him!” and with that he nodded politely to them all and took his leave, Ben hovering somewhat anxiously at his side. 

“Gods, Jim! I’m so sorry, man. I didn’t expect that, I swear!” he babbled nervously. “I mean, I did glance at the guest list, but I didn’t really study it properly because the only guest I was interested in was you.” 

Jim forced himself to relax again, not wanting to upset Ben more than he already was. It wasn’t his friend’s fault, and just maybe he could avoid a confrontation with his father anyway in this crowd, not that he had much hope of that. So he smiled ruefully down into the worried face peering up at him and threw an arm around Ben’s shoulders to give him a brief but comforting squeeze. 

“Don’t sweat it, Junior. It’s not your fault, and I can deal with meeting my father if I have to. I should have realised that the old curmudgeon would have been invited too. So let’s try and enjoy ourselves, want to? You did say that there would be good food, so how about leading the way to the buffet?” 

And Ben grinned up at him, visibly relaxing as he said, “You bet, Jim! Only the best for Grandfather, so I hope you’re hungry!” and with that they set off for the large marquee where the main buffet was located, their intention to enjoy the food and each other’s company no matter what.  


\------------------------  


For a while, they managed to do just that, thoroughly appreciating the food on offer as they filled their plates with items from the delicious spread. Finding themselves a quiet corner, they munched happily as they looked around them with interest, studying the many people circulating the area, and commenting on occasion. It was true that Jim did in fact recognise many faces; some from his childhood during similar gatherings, other formal society events or at private functions thrown by his father for his business cronies. And although he wasn’t proud of his thoughts, he realised that he recalled none of them with any real pleasure. 

However, he also realised that it didn’t matter at all as far as he was concerned. The only one who did matter to him was here beside him, entertaining him with witty – but never malicious – comments and anecdotes about various figures, and smiling up at him as if he was the centre of Ben’s universe. Which, of course, he was, even if he couldn’t understand the reason for it. But for now he wasn’t going to question it, and simply basked in the young man’s affection and genuine pleasure, content to soak up every willingly-gifted minute. 

As for Ben, he felt happier and more relaxed than he’d ever felt before even if he still couldn’t say that he was ever going to be truly comfortable at such events. And that was purely down to the man beside him. The man, not just the sentinel; he could freely admit that to himself now even if he didn’t intend to do anything about it. It was a guilty pleasure he would hold close for the rest of his life, treasuring each precious moment in the long and lonely years after Jim finally found his true guide. However, he refused to let that thought ruin the moment, because he had schooled himself to accept the inevitable. And after all, he should be grateful for having been granted the opportunity to be part of Jim’s development into the amazing individual that he was now, and the even better one he would become once bonded to said guide. He had been extraordinarily fortunate in finding the sentinel, and even more so in being allowed to befriend and advise him, and that had to be enough. 

Suddenly, their mutual contentment and pleasure in each other’s company was rudely interrupted by the arrival of a group of young twenty-somethings, plainly already under the influence of the free and plentiful champagne, beer and cocktails. Obviously rich, well-connected and completely self-centred, their loud arrogance grated on Jim’s nerves, and his mouth tightened into a grim line. Turning to make an uncomplimentary comment to his friend, he noticed immediately that Ben’s face had lost its joyful animation and taken on a pained and embarrassed expression. 

“I’m really sorry, man,” Ben murmured contritely. “I was so hoping to avoid this, but I should have known better. It seems that my brother Blake decided to bring along some of his so-called ‘friends’ too. I just hope that they don’t make too much trouble. 

“And that they leave me alone,” he added, almost in an undertone. 

Jim reached up and squeezed his shoulder supportively, his own expression both concerned and understanding rather than accusatory. “Don’t apologise for them, Chief. I know the type only too well. Spoilt, rich brats who think that the world owes them a living. And that they can get away with anything because Daddy’s money will buy them out of trouble every time. Unfortunately I see it all too often in my job, Ben.” 

Ben looked up at him, vastly relieved to see a total lack of condemnation in Jim’s warm gaze. “Thanks, Jim,” he murmured. “But I’m still sorry they’re here. I’d hoped that Blake would have grown up a bit with me making myself as scarce as possible and getting out of his face, but apparently not. That group’s a particularly nasty little clique, although with their connections, I doubt anyone’ll do anything about them unless they cause real trouble. Their families are too important in business and social circles for mine to risk alienating them unnecessarily.” 

“Don’t worry about it, Chief. It’s not your fault, and if they think they can get in your face, they’ll have to go through me first And remember, my family’s not without influence too!” and he chuckled mirthlessly, an evil gleam in his eye. 

Ben smiled a little at that, his confidence boosted by Jim’s support. “Thanks, Jim, that’s good of you to say. But perhaps we can leave quietly before Blake sees me? It’s not that I’m concerned for myself, but I’m going to be one unhappy bunny if he has a go at you, and I’d rather not give my folks any cause for grief on this special occasion.” 

“Fair enough, Chief, if that’s what you need,” Jim replied agreeably, only to realise almost immediately that it was too late to make their escape. A tall, fair-haired young man, who looked enough like Suzanne to identify him as Ben’s younger brother Blake, suddenly looked over in their direction, an unpleasant sneer on his handsome face. 

“Well, well,” he drawled insolently as he strolled languidly towards them, his obnoxious and spitefully curious companions following in his wake. “If it isn’t the Golden Boy himself, deigning to grace us with his presence! Mother said you’d be making an appearance, _**bro,**_ but I didn’t think you’d bother. After all, you’ve always made it quite clear that you’d rather slum it with your university chums rather than mix in polite society. 

“So, who’s this butch hunk you have with you? Don’t tell me you’ve found yourself a boyfriend at last!” he sneered disparagingly as his nastily sniggering friends crowded around him. 

Ben’s face flushed in anger and shame, a frown creasing his brow as his generous lips thinned in annoyance. On the other hand, Jim remained cool, calm and collected – at least on the outside – the expression on his patrician features easily as arrogant as Blake’s as he regarded the young man and his friends steadily, one eyebrow raised faintly quizzically as if he were examining some form of exotic but unpleasant species. He held Blake’s stare until the other man looked away, an embarrassed flush of his own spreading from neck to hairline. 

Ben took advantage of the moment to speak up, his tone low but clipped and harsh as he fought to keep his anger in check. “Nice to see you too, Blake. And your coterie of sycophants. May I introduce Jim Ellison? I’m sure you’ll remember him if you think about it,” and he smiled grimly as the penny dropped, and Blake’s face took on an even deeper blush of shame. 

However, the younger man wasn’t about to give up without a fight, so to speak, and he glared from Ben to Jim and back as he hissed viciously, “Maybe I do. So what? Mother says that he’s just as odd as you, bro, and that neither of you appreciate your good fortune nor accept your responsibilities! So I’m not surprised you’ve found each other. You make a cute couple!” and with that he turned on his heel and stalked off, his perplexed followers in tow, though not before the young women in the group had had a chance to smirk flirtatiously at Jim, the blatant invitation in their eyes plain to see. 

The total indifference and complete lack of reaction on his part served to send them on their way, and they flounced after their companions, vainly clutching the remnants of their dignity to them as their faces betrayed their fury, disbelief and affront at the unexpected rejection. 

Jim and Ben stood in silence for moment, each wrapped up in their own thoughts and watching the group’s departure, until the resumption of conversation around them brought them abruptly out of their introspection. 

Realising that they had inadvertently become the centre of unwanted attention, Jim took Ben’s arm and gently guided the smaller man out of the marquee. As soon as they were some distance away and partially secluded in a small rose garden, Ben turned to Jim, a heart-broken expression clouding his face. 

“Gods, Jim, I’m so very sorry, man. That was way worse than I expected, even though I ought to be used to Blake’s attitude by now. I honestly don’t know what he has against me, man. We seemed to get on OK as little kids, but he gradually changed towards me, and I honestly don’t know why!” he finished plaintively, genuine confusion in his eyes. 

Jim had his own thoughts on that account, all of them centring on the fact that Ben was a far better person in every respect, but he wasn’t about to complicate matters even more just yet while Ben was so upset. Instead he simply hugged his friend close for a moment before putting him away so he could meet the sorrowful blue gaze. 

“It’s fine, Chief. Stop angsting, at least on my behalf. If that was the worst I’ve ever heard directed at me I’d be a happy guy! He’s jealous, is all, Ben. The ‘whys’ aren’t your fault, kiddo. It’s his problem, not yours, even though it hurts you. And hurts me because of that. To be completely honest, I’ve had the same from Steven, and to this day, I still don’t know why either. So, let’s chill a bit away from the crowds, then listen to the speeches, and go back to my place, want to? 

“Unless you’re expected to stay here for the night?” he added a little uncertainly. 

Ben heaved a deep, cleansing sigh, and raised warm, if still slightly watery eyes up to meet Jim’s. 

“Thanks, Jim. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support, man. And yes, that’s a wonderful suggestion. I’d love to come back to yours for a while, because although I know Mother expected me to stay over, no way do I want to do that now. And to be brutally honest, I don’t think they’ll miss me at all; me being the misfit in their eyes!” 

It took all of Jim’s considerable willpower not to take Ben in arms there and then, but some small, insistent part of him held him back, so he contented himself with a gentle pat to Ben’s cheek. 

“That’s great, Chief. So, roughly when do the formalities take place so we can make our escape? I’ll need to call a cab.” 

“It should be in about half an hour or so, Jim, so not too long! And after all, what else can happen to us?” 

Unfortunately, he really should have known that he spoke too soon.  


\--------------------------  


Shortly afterwards, the pair made their way to the main marquee where the speeches and presentations were to take place. As Ben had already explained to Jim, both his father and grandfather had requested that instead of gifts, their guests could donate to a charitable fund that Suzanne supported. And of course, the nature of the guest list being what it was, the donations were quite extravagant as each guest almost fell over themselves to outdo the other for the sake of appearances. And as Ben also remarked with uncharacteristic cynicism, it would do none of them any harm anyway because they would undoubtedly claim it as a tax write-off. 

Although Ben was expected to stand up with his family during the event, Jim chose to watch from the fringes of the crowd, keeping himself to himself until he could whisk his friend away from here; the sooner the better as far as he was concerned. As he studied the crowd’s reactions with interest, he listened with half an ear to the speeches, most of which were effusive in their congratulations and greeted with polite applause, some of which was actually sincere. However, once the somewhat staggering total had been announced, the crowd began to disperse to enjoy the continuing festivities while Jim moved to meet a relieved-looking Ben. 

Grinning wryly up at Jim, Ben chuckled as he murmured, “Gods, am I glad that’s over with! But I guess that at least there’ll be some good coming out of it, because Mother actually will make sure the money gets to where it’s supposed to go. But I’m ready to leave, man! Can we go now?” 

“Sure thing, Chief,” Jim replied, smiling down into Ben’s shining eyes. “The cab’s going to meet us out front in about twenty minutes.” 

They turned to head for the main entrance, Jim’s hand as ever at the small of Ben’s back, when suddenly he paused, a hard look settling on his face. As Ben looked up in consternation, Jim muttered, “Oh, shit! I just knew this would happen! I’m sorry, Chief,” he continued, offering Ben an apologetic grimace. “Looks like he found me after all,” and he nodded towards the figure approaching them purposefully across the grass. 

Ben followed his glance, and saw William Ellison striding up, his expression a mix of restrained pleasure with a hint of unease and stubborn determination. As he reached them, he nodded briskly to them both as he addressed them. 

“Good evening, Ben, Jimmy. I was hoping to catch you before you left. I have to say, Ben, that your grandfather knows how to throw a party!” he said with rather forced bonhomie. 

“Good evening, sir,” Ben replied with a polite smile. “Yes, he certainly does. I hope you’re enjoying yourself?” 

“Indeed, indeed!” came the somewhat distracted reply as William turned his full attention to his son. “How are you, Jimmy? You look very well, but I hear that your senses have returned. Are you all right?” 

Jim frowned at that. “I’m fine, Dad, but how did you know? It’s not as if we’ve been in contact for years!” 

William looked a little annoyed at that, but also resolute. “I’m well acquainted with the Commissioner and Chief Warren at the PD, and they told me, Jimmy. They also said that you were getting help from young Ben here, so I’m guessing that it’s on account of his specialist knowledge on the subject of sentinel studies, am I right?” 

When Jim’s frown deepened, Ben took it upon himself to try and defuse a potentially acrimonious confrontation. 

“That’s true, sir, but it’s a little more complicated than that. My particular interest is in researching the role of the guide, and that’s where I’ve been able to help Jim. I’ve simply been able to offer advice on how to control his gift, and I have to say that the results are phenomenal. You should be so proud of him!” 

William looked both gratified and vaguely uncomfortable at that, particularly as Jim was still glowering at him. “Yes, yes, of course!” he blustered, uncharacteristically ill at ease. “It’s just that I was hoping perhaps that your influence might extend beyond that of mere advisor.” He appealed to Jim directly then. “Ah, I mean, it’s not as if you’d normally attend a function like this willingly, Jimmy!” 

Jim forced himself to relax despite the fact that he wanted nothing more but to tell his father exactly what he could do with his hopeless misconceptions. Instead, he said stiffly, “What makes you think either Ben or I am here willingly, Dad? I’m here as a friend, is all, to offer Ben support. And now he’s done his filial duty, we’re leaving, OK? 

“And if you think that the only reason I have for befriending Ben is for his help with the senses, you’d be wrong. And you’re also wrong in supposing that I’m about to return to the fold of Ellison Enterprises. I’ve already said that Steven can have everything, and I stand by it!” 

William looked momentarily hurt and plainly taken aback at his son’s vehement declaration, but then drew himself up, his game face firmly back in place and every inch the ruthless businessman once more. 

“I see. Well, there’s no more to be said, is there? I had hoped that you were finally coming around to accepting your true place in society, but it’s clear to see that you – _neither_ of you – appreciate your family’s hard-earned success! So be it, then. Good evening!” and he turned on his heel and strode away, back rigid with self-righteous indignation. 

For a long moment, Ben and Jim stared after him, both feeling yet again as if they had been ambushed by their background, then almost as one they turned to face each other, sharing a rueful grin. Reaching out to clasp Ben’s shoulder, Jim murmured sardonically, “Well, that went well! Not!” 

To which Ben replied with a snicker, “You know, what, Jim? I think that’s our cue to get the hell out of Dodge, don’t you? What say that we draw a line under this whole evening, huh?” 

And Jim’s grin was much more cheerful as he nodded in agreement. “I think you’re right, Chief. So let’s go!” and he slung a companionable arm around Ben’s shoulders as they headed for their cab and an evening just kicking back together and putting the whole episode behind them.   


\----------------------  


For the next few days, they fell back into their usual routine, with neither man having any further contact with their respective families, either critical or conciliatory; a lack which troubled them not at all. Ben finished another article he had written for ‘Anthropology Today’ magazine, which had been published to be received most satisfactorily by his peers. Shyly showing a copy to Jim, he had self-consciously accepted Jim’s sincere congratulations when he had admitted to being nominated for an award by none other than the Board of the American Anthropology Association, of which Eli was an esteemed member. 

As for Jim, he too admitted that he was also up for an award; much to his disgruntlement; as Simon had gleefully informed him that he was up for the ‘Cop of the Year’ again on account of his ever-improving solve and conviction rate. “Wouldn’t mind so much,” he grumbled to Ben, “if it took into account your contribution, Chief. But as it is, it’s nothing but an unwanted pain in the ass!” 

“Come on, Jim,” Ben had replied earnestly, “you deserve it, man. And they can hardly give me anything like that can they? I mean, as far as the PD’s concerned, I’m still just an unofficial civilian ride-along, and I’m not complaining at that!” 

And if Jim was thinking that he’d like to do something about that sooner rather than later, he kept it to himself. 

It was only a couple of days later when the disaster happened. Jim was relaxing at home in the evening after a busy but productive day at work, having, with Ben’s help, turned up some incriminating trace evidence at a particularly bloody crime scene. They had been asked to look over the aftermath of a local turf war, which had resulted in the deaths of several members of the opposing gangs, plus two innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Once again he had felt guilty about exposing his young friend to such horrific evidence of man’s inhumanity to man, but Ben had also once again humbled and impressed him with his stoic support, even though Jim knew very well that he would be screaming inside in pain and sympathy for the victims. 

Ideally, Jim would have liked for Ben to come over to the loft to spend a few hours together and allow Jim to offer his friend a little TLC, but Ben had reluctantly informed him that he had an evening tutorial, after which he was going home to bed. Jim was instantly concerned therefore when the phone rang, the caller ID informing him that it was Ben on the line. 

Grabbing the handset, Jim asked urgently, “Ben? Chief? Are you OK?” 

During the momentary pause at the other end of the line, sentinel hearing easily picked up on the hitched breaths and thundering heartbeats that told him that his friend was deeply distressed, and his own heart clenched in fear and sympathy at Ben’s broken reply. 

“Jim? Oh, Jim! I’m so sorry to bother you, b…but I’ve j…just had a call from my mother. It’s my father, Jim. H…he was flying t…to Tacoma in his private p…p…plane to look at some t…tract of land he wanted to buy. And he crashed. 

“Oh, god, Jim! He’s dead!”  



	6. Part 6: A Shocking Revelation

**Part 6: A Shocking Revelation:**  


Gripping the handset hard enough to come close to shattering it, Jim forced himself to try and keep as calm as possible, knowing that the last thing Ben needed was for him to lose it. “Ben, Chief, where are you? Are you at home?” 

The shaky, tearful voice that replied was heart-breaking in its deep distress. “Uh, y…yes, Jim. Um, I’m about to go see Mother, she’ll need me. A…and Grandfather too. I…I just wondered if…?” 

“Stay right there, Chief, OK? Please don’t try and drive, babe. You’re way too upset. I’m coming over right now, OK? Wait for me, Chief. Promise me?” Jim’s tone was forceful because he was desperate to get his point over, and his relief was immense when Ben capitulated without a fight. 

“O…OK, Jim. And thanks, man. I’ll be waiting….” 

“Good. That’s good, baby. On my way!” and Jim hung up and strode immediately to the door, pulling on his coat and picking up badge, gun and car keys on the way, his only goal to get to his hurting friend as soon as possible. 

Driving as fast as he safely could, Jim arrived at Ben’s building within ten minutes or so, although it seemed like an age to the anxious sentinel. However, he was well aware that he needed to keep a lid on his impatience, because it was up to him to follow his own advice and get both himself and Ben to the Francis mansion in one piece, and without endangering other road users. As he pulled up at the main entrance, he found Ben already waiting, his attractive face tear-stained and his distress evident even without sentinel senses. Rather than just opening the passenger door for the young man, Jim quickly climbed down from the cab and took his trembling friend in his arms, his only thought to offer much-needed physical comfort and support for a few moments. And Ben accepted it with gratitude, his arms encircling Jim’s waist and gripping the back of his coat while he soaked up the care and affection offered in Jim’s warm embrace. 

However, after a while Ben reluctantly loosened his death grip on Jim’s coat and pulled back enough to look up into Jim’s worried gaze. “Thanks, Jim. F…for being here for me. And for the c…cuddle, man. I needed that more than I can s…say.” 

“You’re more than welcome, baby,” Jim replied, the small endearments falling naturally from his lips. “So, let’s get moving, shall we? The sooner we get you to your family the better, hey?” 

Ben nodded quickly and accepted Jim’s helping hand into the passenger seat. He wasn’t about to make any facetious comment about the automatic solicitous action, knowing that Jim would be in protective mode, and also grateful right now for all the tactile comfort he could get. 

As he drove, Jim cast worried glances over at his passenger, unnerved by the young man’s unnatural stillness and silence. Ben’s huge, haunted eyes stared sightlessly at the windscreen, his teeth unconsciously worrying his lower lip; shoulders hunched forward as he clasped his hands tightly on his lap. Wanting to break through Ben’s undoubtedly morbid introspection, Jim deliberately attempted to draw his friend out, keeping his voice gentle but persuasive. 

“You OK over there, babe? Can you tell me a bit about what happened? What have you been told?” 

He was about to repeat the question when Ben jerked back to the present. “Hmmm? Uh, sorry, Jim. Um…did you say something?” 

Jim smiled sadly and reached over to squeeze Ben’s knee. “Just wondered if you’d mind telling me a bit more about the accident, Chief. If it’s not too painful?” 

Ben glanced down at his lap for a moment, then raised his eyes to meet Jim’s until Jim had to turn his attention back to the road. 

“Ah, no. It’s OK, man. It’s just that I…I don’t know that much really. I…I mean, it was Mother who rang me, but Grandfather who actually spoke more, and he couldn’t really tell me that much. All I know is that Father took off this morning to fly to Tacoma. He didn’t take the company Lear because he liked to fly himself in his Cessna whenever he could. He was a good pilot, Jim. Had been flying for years,” Ben insisted earnestly, although whether he was trying to convince Jim or himself wasn’t immediately obvious. 

“Anyway, apparently he was supposed to be landing at a business associate’s private airstrip so he could go and check out a tract of land he was thinking of buying for development. B…but he never got there. The…the last radio message he sent reported that he had engine trouble, and was going to try an emergency landing on a quiet stretch of road. But an eye witness said he overshot, and came down hard in a wooded area. It…the plane caught fire, Jim. He…he didn’t get out.” Ben’s voice broke and faded in anguish as huge, fat tears began to trickle unheeded down his face, and as Jim reached across to clasp his friend’s hands, he was hit by a surge of pity and sorrow for his friend and also horror for the manner of Daniel’s passing. 

“Jeez, babe!” he murmured. “I…I don’t know what to say. ‘Sorry’ doesn’t begin to cover it, Chief. But I swear I’ll be here for you. Whatever you need, you’ve got it. OK?” 

Ben was beyond speaking, but he nodded quickly, his intense gratitude warring with the pain and need in his eyes and expression. 

A few minutes later, Jim pulled up at the mansion’s electronically controlled gates, and after identifying himself and Ben over the intercom, the heavy iron double span swung open to allow them entrance. They were met at the main door by a grim-faced man servant, who stepped forward to open the door for Ben. 

At Ben’s slightly distracted but sincere word of thanks, he smiled sadly, his fondness for the young man apparent in his eyes. 

“You’re welcome, sir. And may I offer you my sincere condolences. Your family is gathered in the Blue drawing room.” His voice and manner were cultured, but not obsequious in any way, and Jim approved of his unobtrusive support. 

As Jim climbed down from the cab, the man, who Ben softly introduced as Graham, took Jim’s keys with a polite smile and offered to move the truck to the parking area, and despite the solemnity of the occasion, Jim couldn’t help but smile a little in approval as Graham ran his hand lovingly over the F150’s hood before climbing into the driver’s seat. 

However, the brief moment of small levity was forgotten as both men mounted the stone staircase leading to the impressive front door, each of them once more focussed on the upcoming meeting. Ben’s distress and trepidation was clear for all to see in his pale, set face and stiff movements, but perhaps only Jim could easily discern what it was truly costing his young friend to hold himself together. Keeping his hand supportively at the small of Ben’s back, he followed closely as Ben headed across the huge, tiled hallway towards one of several doors leading off from it, each heavy and ornate in a faux classical style. But now was no time to admire the décor, and Jim merely glanced around him, concentrating instead on the young man beside him and dismissing his surroundings as irrelevant. 

Entering the formal drawing room, both men paused briefly in the doorway, and Jim took advantage of the moment to swiftly study and catalogue the scene before him. Suzanne Francis, Grandfather Ben and Ben’s brother Blake were seated in a group near the enormous carved fireplace, and to Jim’s mind, they almost appeared to be deliberately posed, although he tried not to dwell on such uncharitable thoughts. For the time being, at least. 

As Ben moved to greet his family, Jim followed more sedately, his eyes watchful as he maintained his state of controlled readiness, the sentinel alert for any hint of a threat to his guide. 

Because Ben was his guide, of that Jim had no doubts, and never had. 

Grandfather Ben was plainly deeply distressed, although his pride forbade him to let go of his rigidly-held control. He merely nodded to Jim in dignified acknowledgement as his eyes tracked his grandson’s progress across the room. 

As for Blake, the younger man was more difficult to read. Although upset, Jim was cynically certain that it wasn’t all on account of his father’s untimely demise. He had a sneaking suspicion that the self-centred young man was more concerned about his own future than grieving for his lost parent, and the dark scowl he sent Jim’s way before transferring his bitter glare to his unwitting brother’s back confirmed it for the sentinel. 

However, it was Suzanne whose demeanour was enough to make Jim’s hackles rise in instinctive dislike and distrust such that he found himself tensing for action; the primal sentinel poised to remove any and every threat to the guide. The elegant woman sat as still as a statue, her dry-eyed, stony expression still managing to convey a mixture of strong emotions without any hint of softness. And there was certainly no sign of welcome in her gaze as she watched her son approach. Indeed, as Ben reached down to hug her, she maintained her rigid posture, plainly taking no pleasure or comfort in the young man’s attempt to show his care for her. 

In fact, if the truth be known, she was more aggrieved and irritated by the unexpected disturbance to her orderly life than real grief for the man she had been married to for almost thirty years. Oh, she had been fond enough of him in her way, and quite happy to play the role of dutiful society wife while maintaining her own lifestyle, but that was really as far as it went. However, his demise meant all kinds of upheaval both in domestic and business circles, and she didn’t appreciate it one bit. 

And she _really_ didn’t appreciate the fact that Ben was almost certainly going to be the main beneficiary in his father’s Will. He might be his father’s son, but he was no son of hers, and it infuriated her that hers and Daniel’s offspring would undoubtedly lose out. 

Thus it was that when Ben pulled back to meet her gaze, upset and perturbed by her complete lack of response, he drew in a gasp of shock to see the venomous glare she fixed upon him. 

Although she didn’t raise her voice, the cruel and callous words she spat at him were destined to turn his world on its head. Completely ignoring Grandfather Ben’s infuriated growl from behind her she hissed, “Don’t bother to try and console me, Ben! I want none of your sympathy! You’re no son of mine!” 

At Ben’s wide-eyed look of total confusion, she continued remorselessly, the dam holding back her silence about Daniel’s dirty little secret thoroughly breached. “That’s right, _Ben_ ,” she sneered. “You had no idea, did you? But all you are is the result of Daniel’s one-off encounter with a hippy slut. A genuine ‘Love Child’!” and the sneer of pure disdain on her face and in her voice imbued the term with bitter hatred. “Daniel may have fathered you, and that’s why you stand to inherit. But your mother was nothing but a sixteen year old runaway called Naomi Sandburg. Your real name is Blair Sandburg, not Benjamin Francis II, and if there was any justice in this world, it would be Blake who gets everything, not you!” 

For a tense moment, incredulous silence greeted her outburst, and then the tableau shattered. As Ben/Blair backed away in hurt and distress, unable to absorb the full impact of his mother’s – no, _not_ mother’s – hateful assertions, Jim quickly moved forward, wrapping his arms comfortingly around the devastated young man’s torso as he hugged the smaller body to him, back to chest. Although his words in Ben’s ear were soft and gentle, the deadly, cold-eyed stare he directed at Suzanne was finally enough to make her react, and there was a distinct glint of fear in her eyes as she drew back instinctively in her seat. 

“Easy, Chief. I’ve got you, baby,” he murmured. “I’m here, and I won’t let you go, OK?” He didn’t know whether Ben – Blair? – was really hearing him, but he was gratified to feel the young man lean into his embrace, instinctively seeking the comfort and support he offered. 

On the other hand, Grandfather Ben was absolutely furious at his daughter-in-law’s behaviour, and wasn’t afraid to show it. “How dare you? How _dare_ you, you ungrateful, vicious cat! My son isn’t even in his grave yet, and not only do you show absolutely no sign of grief or remorse, but you turn on his first-born! He moved heaven and earth to find his son, not just for his own sake, but to comfort you after you lost your own baby, and this is how you treat him! Get out of here! Get out of my sight now before I do something I’ll regret!” 

Now plainly disturbed, but still unrepentant and not about to let go of her dignity; Suzanne rose to her feet, her face a haughty mask of thin-lipped anger, disdain and hatred as she cast a last, incendiary glare at Ben before sweeping out of the room. 

Although Ben was in no condition to register it, sentinel vision was able to observe and record Blake’s reactions even as Jim the man and friend maintained his hold on his distressed guide. 

The expressions chasing themselves across the younger son’s features were a clear indication of his emotions even without the evidence of his physiological responses. From the ever-present simmering resentment and jealousy to open-mouthed astonishment at the completely unexpected revelation through to anger and disgust, it was clear to see that Blake had had absolutely no idea about his brother’s parentage. Rising to his feet, the furious young man approached Ben although he stayed out of Jim’s reach in instinctive self-preservation. “So that’s why you’ve never fitted in here!” he hissed spitefully. “Never understood what it means to be a true Francis! You must take after your whore of a mother! We might share the same father, but I want nothing more to do with you! You disgust me, and I hate you!” and with that he turned on his heel and followed his mother from the room, his nose in the air and oozing sanctimonious and self-righteous hauteur. 

The unwarranted and vicious attack was more than Ben could take in right then, as his mind and sanity sought to protect themselves in shutting down to a certain extent. However, even though he tried to disregard his own pain, he couldn’t ignore it in others, particularly when he saw his Grandfather’s state. No longer even trying to maintain his practiced reserve, the older man looked both deflated and defeated, every one of his eighty years brutally exposed in the lines of misery and dejection etched into his face. 

Easing out of Jim’s hold, Ben carefully approached his grandfather, real concern for the old man evident in his face. Not knowing whether it would be welcomed or not, he still held out his hands to the distressed man, sinking to his knees before Grandfather Ben’s chair. And as he took the older man’s clasped hands between his own, he murmured, “I’m so sorry, Grandfather. Sorry for everything. What can I do to help?” 

Ben Sr. looked up and met the sympathetic gaze, studying his grandson carefully as if he’d never really seen him before. “You aren’t to blame, Ben. You have nothing to be sorry about. None of this is your doing. But for what it’s worth in the face of all this tragedy, I _am_ sorry.” And whether he meant that he regretted that the family had kept the secret of Ben’s birth from him all these years, or that he was sorry it had finally emerged was anyone’s guess. 

“Now, I’d be grateful if you could give me some time to myself, son,” and he gently freed his hands and patted Ben’s as he looked over at Jim. 

“You’ll take care of him? Watch out for him?” he asked, nodding in weary gratitude and acceptance at Jim’s fervent reply. 

“Always, sir. I’ll guard him with my life.” 

Moving to join the pair, Jim gently helped Ben to his feet and tucked the unresisting young man against his side. Ben took one last questioning look at his grandfather, and at the old man’s nod and weak gesture of dismissal, he turned to bury his face against Jim’s broad shoulder as the sentinel carefully escorted him from the room. 

Once back in the truck, Jim left his guide to his own thoughts for a while since the smaller man had withdrawn into himself and Jim didn’t want to intrude. However, by the time he had arrived back at 852 Prospect, Ben roused a little, and looked questioningly over at Jim, his eyes troubled and not a little confused. 

“Uh, thank you, Jim. For your support, man. I…I…um…why are we here?” 

Jim reached over and gently pulled the young man towards him. “We’re here because I’m not leaving you alone tonight, baby. I want to look after you, OK? Take care of you. You’ve have one hell of a shock, and you need to let me help you. And hold you. OK?” 

And Ben couldn’t prevent more tears overflowing as he nodded mutely in relief and gratitude, too exhausted by his emotions to do anything but turn himself over to the care of the man who meant more to him than anyone.   


\--------------------  


Later that night, Ben lay cuddled in Jim’s arms, finally dead to the world after crying himself to sleep. However, Jim had yet to follow suit, content to keep watch over his friend and guide and ready to offer comfort should bad dreams disturb his much-needed rest. 

On entering the loft, Jim had quietly and carefully ushered his guide up to his bedroom, there to undress the young man down to boxers and tee and tuck him into bed before quickly stripping down to his own underwear and climbing in beside Ben. On this occasion there was no thought of anything other than offering care and affection, and he was hugely relieved when Ben immediately snuggled into his warm embrace, his own arms hugging Jim and holding on as if he’d never let go. And Jim certainly didn’t ever want him to. It had come as no surprise when Ben’s tears had fallen again, and Jim had simply crooned nonsense words and held him gently through the crying jag. 

But when Ben had eventually raised his tear-ravaged face to shyly meet Jim’s worried gaze, his despairing words had cut Jim to the quick, his sympathy and love for the broken young man greater than anything he’d ever felt before, such that all he wanted to do was cherish and protect him forever. 

“I’m so sorry, Jim. To be such a nuisance. You’ve been so good to me. But I…I don’t know who I am anymore! Who am I, Jim? Ben Francis or Blair Sandburg? _Who?”_

And Jim’s answer had been immediate and heart-felt. 

“You’re who you’ve always been, baby. Ben or Blair, the name doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change who you are. And it makes no difference to me. I love you, Chief. You’re my friend and you always will be.” 

And as Ben hugged him again, this time shedding a few more cleansing tears of hope renewed, Jim had added internally, _And you’re my guide, baby. And now I know that we can prove it!_

And on that thought, Jim finally followed his love into sleep.  



	7. Part 7: Redefining Self

**Part 7: Redefining Self:**  


**Following morning, the loft:**  


Jim woke bright and early as per usual, feeling surprisingly refreshed. Indeed, as he grinned down at the curly head resting on his chest, it occurred to him that they had both had a far better night than he might have expected under the circumstances. In his case, it had to have been because his senses had positively revelled in the proximity of the man in his arms, thoroughly appreciating being able to wrap around the real deal rather than a poor substitute. 

As for Ben, Jim believed – hoped – that the young man had benefitted from being held and comforted in Jim’s arms throughout the night; and when the expected nightmares struck, Jim was quietly proud of the way he had been able to sooth and calm Ben with soft reassurances and gentle touches before he truly woke up. 

However, although he would have loved to have stayed in bed, watching over his still sleeping friend, he knew that he had to make a move. Although it was a Saturday, and Ben had no duties at the U, Jim was supposed to be reporting in for a shift at the PD, and today he had no intention of leaving Ben alone to deal with whatever trials the day might bring. Or, indeed, the next few days for that matter. So he gently extricated himself from beneath Ben’s warm weight sprawled half on, half off his body, grinning as the young man mumbled and grumbled before hugging the pillow Jim pushed into his arms as a substitute for himself. 

Padding silently down the stairs, he paid a visit to the bathroom to relieve his complaining bladder before putting a fresh pot of coffee on to brew. Picking up the cordless phone, he stepped out onto the balcony to phone Simon to tell him what had happened, and to ask for some personal time. And if for some reason his captain declined his request, he’d take it off as sick instead and to hell with the consequences. 

As it happened, he didn’t have to worry on that score, because as soon as Simon answered the phone, the first words out of his mouth were, “Jim! How’s Dr Francis, man? It’s all over the news about his father’s accident. If they’ve got it right, that’s a hell of a way to go, poor bastard. I’m supposing that Ben is there with you?” 

“Yes, Simon, he is, and you’re right. I just hope and pray that the autopsy will determine that Daniel Francis was dead before the flames got him. And that the Civil Aviation investigators decide that it was caused by mechanical failure rather than pilot error or something more sinister. 

“Anyway, as you can imagine, Ben’s in shock, so he stayed here with me last night. And I’d like to take a personal day so I can give him whatever support he needs. It that going to be a problem?” 

Simon paused at that, and Jim could almost hear his brain processes working. “Uh, I suppose that’ll be OK, Jim. I mean, you’ve cleared a lot of cases lately, so I guess you deserve a bit of time out. But surely Ben would be better staying with his family? Grieving together? I mean, I know you two have gotten very close, sentinel and guide stuff apart, but shouldn’t he be at home?” 

Jim’s lips thinned at that, and he had to fight to keep his voice down and level as he replied. “You’d think so, Simon, but believe me, that’s not going to happen. I went with him to the family home last night, and you don’t want to know what went down between Suzanne Francis and Ben. And his younger brother also. Just take it from me that there’s no love lost between those two and Ben, even though it’s through no fault of Ben’s. The only one who had any time for him was his Grandfather, and that wasn’t much. 

“So no, Simon. I don’t think he’ll be wanting to go there again until he has to.” Of course, he had no intention of disclosing the real reason for Suzanne and Blake Francis’ animosity towards his guide, because that was for Ben to reveal in his own time and in his own way. 

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that, Jim. It’s times like these when families should stick together, but what do I know about the lifestyles of the rich and famous? So, OK, take the day, and you might as well have Sunday also. Call me with an update Sunday evening, OK? But if Ben needs anything from me before then, don’t hesitate to let me know, OK? 

“And give him my sincere condolences for his loss. I’m sure I speak for all his friends here at the PD also.” 

“Thanks, Simon, I will. And thanks for your understanding also, sir. All being well, see you Monday.” 

He terminated the call and stepped back inside, relieved that Simon had been so accommodating. However, he grimaced when he turned on the TV at the news channel – volume too low to waken Ben – to see that Daniel’s accident had obviously made the headlines. Dammit, already the muck-raking newshounds were beginning to dissect the affairs of the Francis family; determined to turn up every sordid little detail. It was an unfortunate fact that the more successful and well-established the family, the more the public wanted know about them; especially if there were skeletons in the cupboard to reveal. And Jim had a horrible feeling that in this instance, there might well be a lot of unpleasantness to come, with Ben right in the midst of it. It was going to be down to Jim to help make sure that his friend got through it more or less intact, but he didn’t even think twice about doing so. Ben would do the same for him; had, indeed, already come through for him; and that was the way it should be between sentinel and guide. 

Just then, movements and mutterings from above warned him that Ben was finally waking up, so he quickly prepared a mug of fresh coffee and trotted back upstairs with it. The sight that met his eyes caused him to smile fondly, certain that he’d never been greeted with anything quite so darned cute first thing in the morning. Ben’s curls stuck out every which way in the worst case of bed-hair Jim had ever seen, and his slightly myopic frown and beard-shadowed face were impossibly appealing. However, once full awareness returned, and the young man recalled where he was and why, the sadness that clouded the already beloved features was enough to make Jim’s heart lurch in sympathy. Placing the mug of coffee on the nightstand, he sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped his arms around Ben’s torso, hugging the smaller man to him. As the tremors started, he rocked gently as if soothing a child, although he certainly didn’t consider Ben to be juvenile in any way. All he wanted to do was offer comfort as much as it was needed, for however long that was. 

After a few minutes, Ben sniffed and eased himself back and away from Jim, although not completely out of the bigger man’s encircling arms. Shy eyes peered uncertainly up to meet Jim’s warm, understanding gaze, a shame-faced blush colouring the young man’s face. 

“I’m sorry, Jim. Didn’t mean to melt down like that all over you, man. I did enough of that yesterday! But thanks, Jim. For everything you’ve done for me. I honestly don’t know how I’d have coped without your support. It was over and above, man, particularly last night. Taking such good care of me!” 

Jim smiled down at him, a look of fond exasperation on his chiselled features as he replied warmly, “And why wouldn’t I, babe? That’s what partners do, and after all, it was my turn to be your backup. Everything I did was because I wanted to, Chief. Because you needed me, and I needed to be there for you. So no talk of ‘over and above’, OK? 

“Anyhow, I’ve brought you up a mug of coffee, babe, so drink it while it’s still hot. And don’t worry about me having to leave you today. I’ve already called Simon and asked for the weekend off. And he’s more than happy to grant it, babe. Sad to say, the accident’s all over the news, so he already knew about it, and sends his condolences.” 

Ben glanced away at that, his eyes filling once again with sudden tears before he shook himself and fought to get himself back under control. 

“That’s so good of him, Jim. And I truly appreciate his understanding. I freely admit that I’m selfish enough to be glad that you can stay with me today, because I think that there’s going to be a lot going on, and I wouldn’t relish trying to deal with it on my own.” 

“And there’s no way I’d let you, babe!” Jim replied fervently. “Anyhow, at least we both managed to get some proper sleep after all, didn’t we?” 

Ben smiled gently at that, although it didn’t really reach his eyes. “Yes, well, I know _I_ did, thanks to you, but how about you? Didn’t I keep you awake?” 

And it was Jim’s turn to blush as he decided to ‘fess up at last. “Ah, well. About that,” he began. “I actually had much more real rest than I normally have despite the awful circumstances, babe. See, my senses truly appreciated being able to wrap around you for once. Um, I’ve been making do with taking articles you’ve handled to bed with me, because it’s the only way I can stay grounded. Sad but true, Chief!” 

He was gratified to see a faint glint of real amusement in Ben’s eyes as the young man chuckled, “So _that’s_ why you kept picking up my napkins and paper towels and such so quickly! I didn’t mention it because I thought it was just your sentinel OCD!” Then his expression became thoughtful, and Jim was certain that he could discern a trace of hope and yearning in the big, if red-rimmed blue eyes. “So, I guess that it could be significant then? You using my scent to ground your senses?” he murmured, almost as if expecting Jim to laugh in his face at the implication. 

But of course, Jim had no intention of doing that. The opening was exactly what he had been hoping for, and he was going to take full advantage of it. 

“My thoughts exactly, babe! I’ve been trying to tell you all along that there’s never been anyone else who has ever had such an impact on me and my senses. Only a real guide’s scent works for me, Chief, I swear. So, now do you believe me, babe? Enough to believe in yourself too, and how much you mean to me? My true guide?” 

Ben blinked rapidly at that, his expression plainly telling Jim that he wanted so much to believe, but still unsurprisingly wary, since for so long he had denied himself. But then a look of determination replaced the uncertainty, and he met Jim’s expectant gaze. 

“I think it’s time I had that test, isn’t it? I’ve put it off for so long because I couldn’t see the point. But now you’ve given me real hope, Jim. And if the results are positive, I think I may well be the happiest man on earth!” 

And Jim smiled broadly as he reached up to ruffle the already mussed curls. “No, that would be the _two_ happiest men on earth, babe!” and he pulled an unresisting Ben in for another warm hug. 

However, it wasn’t long before harsh reality reasserted itself in their thoughts, and they pulled reluctantly apart. It was time to get up and face the day, and whatever it threw at them.   


\----------------------  


After taking a shower and shaving with one of Jim’s spare razors, Ben made a valiant effort to eat as much as he could of the breakfast of eggs and toast that Jim prepared for them before both men left to return to Ben’s apartment. Apart from needing a change of clothes, it was, after all, the place where Ben could expect to be contacted since he wasn’t staying at the family mansion. 

Although he didn’t really relish the idea, he picked up the many messages left on his answering service before heading for his office to check his emails. With Jim sitting beside him, he began to listen, automatically deleting nuisance calls, but surprised and deeply touched at the sheer number of personal calls he had received, offering sympathy and offers of help and support. Unfortunately, the effect was spoiled and offset by the intrusive demands from the media requesting interviews and information, but he deleted them also. 

It had to be said that the genuine outpouring of sympathy reduced him to tears, and several times he was grateful to be taken into Jim’s arms until he could get himself together again, but he told himself sternly that it had to be done. Although Jim insisted that he wasn’t in the least perturbed or condemnatory of Ben’s grief, Ben didn’t want to burden his friend any more than he could help. After all, he had always been used to dealing with upsets and problems by himself anyway since early childhood. After his and Blake’s adored nanny left, her services no longer required, Ben had learned quickly that there was no other adult whose shoulder he could cry on. His father and grandfather expected him to ‘be a man’ and keep his pain to himself, while Suzanne had hardly been maternal material – the lack of which quality now made sense in the light of yesterday’s revelations. 

However, once the last of that batch of messages had been listened to, Ben offered Jim a somewhat watery smile and thanked him yet again for his patience. Huffing a deep, cleansing breath, he mentally braced himself to go to his office to open his emails, saying, “It’s OK, Jim, honestly. I can do this. I _have_ to do this, man, for my own self-esteem. I’ll probably be a while, because there’ll most likely be normal stuff from Rainier to deal with on top of everything else, so if you want to have some time to yourself, please feel free. I don’t expect you to hold my hand every minute, and you’ve already helped more than I can say.” 

Jim frowned at that, not at all sure that Ben was anything like as together as he tried to sound. “Well, if you’re sure, Chief? But I’m not going anywhere, OK? I can find enough to do here to keep me occupied while you’re working, and when you’re done, we can think about what to do for lunch, all right? 

“And if you need me, don’t hesitate to call me, babe. For anything!” 

Ben’s answering smile was soft and gentle, his sad eyes telegraphing his gratitude. “OK, Jim. I promise. And I’ll leave the office door open too. It helps to know that I’m not alone…” he tailed off shyly. 

_No, never that, babe. Ever again!_ Jim thought to himself as he smiled and nodded in assent, still worried for his guide as Ben turned to enter his office.  


\-----------------------  


It was a good couple of hours before Ben reappeared in the doorway of his office, looking somewhat bedraggled. As expected, there had been quite a bit of routine administrative work to take care of in respect of his position at Rainier, and many more messages of condolence. But thankfully, at least he was spared any further annoying or offensive attempts to contact him by the media, because this was his private email address, and they obviously hadn’t managed to get a hold of it yet. But he was cynically certain that it would only be a matter of time until some determined hack discovered it and he would be forced to change it. 

However, an affectionate grin tugged at his full lips as he paused to watch Jim at work. The big man was carefully checking through Ben’s kitchen cupboards, collecting and sorting the recycling and trash in preparation for taking it down to the building’s communal wheelie bins. Ben wasn’t in the least bit offended, knowing that the sentinel needed to keep busy and useful while he stayed on the alert for any threat to his guide. It touched Ben deeply to be the recipient of such care, and he appreciated it more than he could say. And when Jim looked up to meet his gaze, a warm smile lighting up his whole face, Ben knew that he was in love. He loved this man as he had never loved anyone before, and it wasn’t just because of the supposed sentinel / guide connection or simple animal attraction. He loved Jim the man, and even though it scared him to admit it, it felt so very good. With Jim beside him, he knew that he could deal with anything – be anything – and the courage that belief bestowed on him was beyond price. 

As the day progressed, there were more calls to field, some of which Ben answered immediately, depending on the caller’s ID, or left for the machine to pick up if he didn’t recognise it. Unsurprisingly, the press were persistent in their efforts to secure an exclusive interview, but he continued to ignore them. However, there was one call he wasn’t going to ignore, and that was one from the coroner’s office in Tacoma to inform him that Daniel Francis’ remains had already been flown back to Cascade for autopsy by Cascade’s ME, Dan Wolf. Apparently, Daniel’s social status was high enough to ensure that there would be no delay in the investigation, so Ben and his family could expect the results as soon as they were available. 

As Jim was standing nearby when Ben terminated the call, he was quick to reach out to give the grieving man a quick hug, having listened in to both sides of the conversation with Ben’s freely-given permission. “I know Dan Wolf, Ben, and he’s the best, I can assure you. Whatever there is to find, he’ll find it, babe.” 

Ben offered him a watery smile as he murmured sadly, “I guess there’s something to be said for being wealthy, huh? You get to jump the queue at the morgue! Not fair, but in this instance, I admit to being grateful, selfish though it is. I need to know, Jim. I need to know what killed my father, because it’s just so terrible to think that he might have burned alive…!” His voice rose in anguish as the grief and horror gripped him again, and he started to shake even as Jim eased him down onto the nearest sofa, almost on Jim’s lap. 

This time it took rather longer for Ben to regain enough control to let go of Jim’s sweater, handfuls of which he had grasped in a white-knuckled grip. His over-active imagination was slow to release him from the dreadful images that played out in his mind, and his heart thundered in his chest as he desperately fought off the panic attack that wanted to overtake him. Indeed, as he gradually relaxed enough to sit up, he was ashamed to realise that it was only Jim’s presence that allowed him to hold himself together even to this meagre extent. White-faced and still trembling, he stared into Jim’s anxious face, his eyes wide and dark with fear, sorrow and bitter remorse. 

Still breathless, and heart rate only slowly settling to normal, he gasped, “I…I…oh, shit, Jim! I’m sorry! I’m a mess, I know it! Gods! How long will it t…take before I stop f…freaking out like this?” 

Jim reached up to cup Ben’s cheeks firmly but gently in his palms, willing the young man to listen and hear what he was saying. “It’ll take as long as it takes, Ben! Hell, Chief, it hasn’t even been twenty four hours since you got the news, and you’ve hardly had an easy time of it since then, have you? Give yourself a break, babe, and give yourself permission to grieve. It’s a natural and healing process as you well know. Everyone grieves in their own way, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And I am more than content to be here for you. I’m not embarrassed, and I’m not going to judge you, babe, so don’t be afraid to lean on me.” 

Ben stared fixedly into his eyes for so long that Jim began to wonder if his guide was having his own version of a zone-out, but eventually the young man sighed deeply and blinked rapidly, a tiny grin lifting the corner of his generous mouth. 

“Thanks, Jim. I mean it, man. I needed to hear that, and I promise I’ll try to believe it too,” he added with a self-deprecating snicker. 

“Anyhow, you must be hungry, man. It’s well past lunchtime. I have some home-made soup in the freezer if you’d like me to thaw some out? There’re some part-baked baguettes also. Will that do?” 

“Sounds good to me, babe, but let me get it, OK? I can find my way around your kitchen well enough, and I’m thinking that a nap might do you good, Chief. I’m not suggesting that you’re a little kid, babe, but you’re emotionally exhausted with good reason, so how about just chilling for a few while I get the food on?” 

Ben figured that he ought to resent the idea, but he knew very well that Jim had no intention of insulting or belittling him, and in fact he did feel desperately weary, so he merely nodded tiredly. “OK, Jim, if you really don’t mind? I’ll just crash here on the sofa for a few.” And with that, he stretched out and pulled the afghan off the back of the sofa and spread it over him, asleep almost before his head hit the pillow beneath his head. 

Jim smiled in satisfaction as he carefully tucked the afghan in more closely, glad that Ben hadn’t fought his suggestion. During his medical training in the army he had witnessed many times how exhausting the aftermath of panic attacks and similar mental stress such as battle fatigue and PTSD could be, and in Ben’s case, the best thing for him would be to get as much rest as possible. He therefore took his time in preparing the simple but nourishing meal, allowing the young man as much time as he needed. 

It was almost an hour and a half later before Ben roused again, somewhat groggy and disorientated to begin with, but overall feeling much better. He even managed to eat a decent amount of their very late lunch, much to Jim’s obvious pleasure, smiling over at his friend as he said, “Thanks, Jim. That was really good. I didn’t realise how hungry I was. And you must have felt as if your throat had been cut!” His smile faded then as he continued, “I know I have a couple of not-so-pleasant things to do now, like calling home to see how they’re all doing, but after that rest and food, I know I can manage it.” 

Jim nodded in understanding. “Fair enough, Chief. But before you do, I think you’re about to have a visitor. I can hear someone approaching the building, and I believe it’s Dr Stoddard.” 

Ben’s eyes widened in real pleasure as he gazed almost reverently at the sentinel, impressed yet again by this evidence of Jim’s sensory acuity. And sure enough, when Eli’s voice was heard over the intercom requesting entry, Ben buzzed him in eagerly, knowing that it was one visitor he didn’t mind receiving today. 

As soon as he entered the apartment, it didn’t need sentinel senses to determine that Eli’s concern for his young friend and assistant was entirely genuine. The warm hug he gave Ben, and the sincere condolences he offered brought a somewhat watery smile of gratitude to Ben’s face even as he invited the older man to sit down. Jim unobtrusively set about making a fresh pot of coffee, and getting out the fixings for tea, if that was Stoddard’s preference, realising that the two men needed a moment together, and not feeling in the least bit offended by it. 

Drinks offered and gratefully received, he gently squeezed Ben’s shoulder saying, “I’m going to pop out for a while to give you two a bit of privacy, OK? The walk will do me good. Shall I pick up some takeout on the way back, Chief? Any preferences?” 

Ben’s grateful smile warmed him as the young man replied, “Thanks, Jim, that would be great. And whatever you fancy will be fine by me, honestly. Enjoy your walk, man, and see you soon!” 

Nodding and murmuring a word of farewell to Eli, Jim quietly left the apartment, although he did keep his senses centred on Ben – by now a well-established habit. 

In actual fact, Eli didn’t stay too long, because although his sympathy for Ben was completely sincere, he was also tactful enough not to overstay his welcome when his young friend was so emotionally fragile. Instead, he assured Ben that his classes and tutorials were covered for as long as needed, and reiterated his offer to help in whatever way he could. He also promised to keep well away from nosy newshounds, knowing only too well what lengths they would go to just to get sensational copy. 

Once Ben had seen him to the door, parting amicably after receiving another affectionate hug, he returned to the great room to clear away the cups. As he rinsed them in the sink before putting them in the dishwasher, he made up his mind to make the call to his family home. It was hardly an appealing prospect, but it had to be done, and he wanted it out of the way before Jim got back. It was partly because he wanted to prove to himself that he had the balls to do it without Jim almost literally holding his hand, but also because he so wanted to spend an evening with Jim just trying to relax and think of nothing but the pleasure of Jim’s company. 

Decision made, he picked up the handset and dialled, wondering who would reply, and for once totally unsure of how to address them. It was as if they had turned into complete strangers overnight, and the feeling was more than upsetting and unsettling. 

As it turned out, perhaps luckily for Ben, it was his grandfather who answered. “Grandfather? It’s Ben,” he said, rather redundantly since Ben Sr. undoubtedly recognised his caller. “How are you, sir? And how are Mother and Blake doing? Uh…have you heard anything new?” 

Although the old man’s enquiry after Ben’s own state was somewhat perfunctory, he did have some information to offer. Apparently, because there had been something of a rush on Daniel’s autopsy, there were some unofficial preliminary results available, although the full report wouldn’t be ready until tomorrow. Biting his lip anxiously, Ben listened intently as Grandfather told him that the ME was almost certain that Daniel had died from massive blunt force trauma to the head, received on impact when the Cessna went down, so was dead before the fire engulfed him. 

Ben’s relief was so great that for a moment he forgot that his grandfather was still on the line. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to speak. “Oh, thank the gods!” he breathed. “Oh, Grandfather, that’s such a relief. I was so scared that Father had…had suffered.” He couldn’t – wouldn’t – elaborate further, because he knew that his grandfather knew exactly what he meant. 

And despite his cool, business-like manner, Ben was equally certain that the old man was just as relieved as he was. 

The only other piece of news was that Daniel’s Will was to be read on Monday morning at 10.30 a.m. at the family home, and of course Ben was expected to be there. 

However, after that there appeared to be nothing more to say, the distance between them greater than it had ever been, so Ben gently terminated the call. All Ben Sr. had told him about the rest of his family was that they were ‘holding up well’, and even at the other end of the line, Ben could hear the stiff disapproval and disappointment in the steady voice. And he fancied that it wasn’t directed at him. 

Setting down the handset with a slightly shaking hand, Ben sank into the welcoming comfort of the sofa. Knowing that Daniel had been killed instantly had taken a huge weight off Ben’s mind, even though his sorrow at his father’s death remained a sharp as ever. But it was obvious that things were never going to be the same for him and the only family he had ever known, so he was going to have to make some tough choices in the near future. But even as he thought about it, an image of Jim’s smiling face appeared at the forefront of his mind, and his anxiety instantly receded to bearable levels. He knew to the bottom of his soul that the older man was going to be there for him come what may, and that knowledge buoyed him up immensely. All he wanted now was for Jim to return so he could begin to outline some of his thoughts and receive Jim’s opinions on them. 

And almost on cue, the intercom alerted him to the sentinel’s return, and with a lighter heart he buzzed him in, already on his feet to welcome back the love of his life.   



	8. Part 8: Choices to Make

**Part 8: Choices to Make:**  


**Following morning, Ben’s Apartment:**  


Sunday morning arrived with both men feeling reasonably refreshed. It had been very similar to the previous night, only this time after sharing Ben’s bed. When Jim had shown no inclination to go back to the loft in the evening, Ben had somewhat diffidently offered him the choice of either the guest bed or his. And since Jim could easily tell that the latter would be Ben’s preference, he accepted with alacrity. So once again they spent the night in each other’s arms, both men benefitting from the proximity, even though Jim still refrained from making any overtly sexual moves on Ben. He was content now to be patient just a little longer, because now he was positive that they would soon be together, even if Ben still had just a few lingering doubts. 

The reason for Jim’s up-beat attitude was that during the evening Ben had somewhat shyly outlined some of his hopes and plans for the future. He had told Jim that he was now determined to take the test for the guide gene, and intended to do it on Monday morning before the reading of the Will. Whatever the outcome of the Will’s bequests, for Ben the most important thing right now was to find out if he truly deserved to be Jim’s guide. Because if the results were positive, he felt certain that he would be strong enough to make the right decisions as regards their shared future together. 

The rest of the day passed quietly for both men, Jim returning briefly to the loft to pack a bag with a few essentials and changes of clothes as he had no intention of leaving Ben alone until at least after Monday. He was pretty certain that the reading wasn’t going to be an amicable affair, and had already decided that if Ben wanted him there as backup, then that’s where he would be. In his own mind, he expected that Ben was going to be seriously disturbed on learning what his father had intended, because although the understanding might have been there all along, hearing it as a done deal would be traumatic, especially in the face of Blake and Suzanne’s hostility towards him. 

As for Ben, he tried not to think about it, grateful beyond measure that Jim had promised to be beside him, and trying hard not to borrow trouble in nervous anticipation. He was far more concerned about the results of the test, hoping with every fibre of his being that the instinctive attraction he had for Jim was indeed partly due to being a potential guide to an alpha sentinel as much as love for the man. 

During the day, he fielded more calls from concerned friends and acquaintances, and continued to dodge those from the press. However, he had no intention of leaving the apartment that day because on his return, a grim-faced Jim told him that there were a few reporters camped outside the building already, and Ben had no intention whatsoever of dealing with them until forced to. 

He also needed to stay in to retrieve the call he was expecting from the ME’s office, because although it was a Sunday, the family had been promised that the autopsy results would be made available as soon as completed. 

That call came in at around 4.00 pm, and Ben was glad that Jim was back and by his side for that. When Dan Wolf confirmed that death had been instantaneous, caused by massive blunt force trauma to the head on impact, Ben was forced to sit down, weak-kneed in relief. He had thanked Wolf profusely for his efforts before terminating the call and almost falling into Jim’s waiting arms. 

“Oh, gods! Oh, god, Jim! That…that’s such a huge weight off my mind. I mean, the preliminary results gave me such hope, but to know for sure, well, I can’t even begin to describe how I feel. To know he didn’t b…burn alive, man. No one deserves to die like that!” 

And Jim had to agree with him, even as he cuddled Ben close. He might not have had any particular liking for Daniel Francis, but as Ben said, the man would never have deserved such a terrible fate. 

Unfortunately, any relief the confirmation had granted Ben was soon to be negated, as another call came in shortly afterwards. This one was from the Civil Aviation Authority’s investigative office, and wasn’t well-received at all. With Jim listening in, Ben learned that, although it was early days as yet, the investigators examining the wreckage weren’t ready to attribute the cause of the accident to either pilot error or simple mechanical failure. Apparently there was a suspicion of tampering which couldn’t be ruled out until a full forensic inquiry had taken place. 

Reeling with shock as he replaced the handset, Ben gazed up at Jim with round, horrified eyes. 

“Oh, man! Surely they can’t think that Father’s plane was sabotaged? Who would do such a thing? _Why??_ OK, I know he must have made a few enemies in his business dealings over the years, but surely nothing to justify murder! I can’t believe it. I _won’t!”_ and he buried his face against Jim’s broad chest, to be consoled and comforted by his angry and protective sentinel. 

As far as Jim was concerned, this was just too much, and so unfair to his already hurt and bewildered friend. Then again, during his career he had had far too much experience of such heinous crimes that it wasn’t so much of a shock for him. He just hoped and prayed that in this particular instance the forensic investigators would conclude that it was indeed an accident after all, because if not, the repercussions had the potential to be damaging in the extreme. 

Unsurprisingly, it took some while until Ben managed to pull himself together again, but once again Jim was amazed by the young man’s courage and unselfishness when he insisted on calling his grandfather to see how the old man had received the news. The call was brief, and not particularly satisfactory, but Ben learned at least that so far his grandfather was still bearing up under the burden of grief, as, apparently, were Suzanne and Blake. 

It was while Ben was taking a shower in preparation for an early night that Jim called Simon at home with the promised update. On hearing about both calls, a plainly concerned Simon immediately agreed to Jim’s request for another few days off. After all, Jim had a lot of leave accrued, so now was as good a time as any to use some of it. Ending the call after promising to give Ben Simon’s regards and to keep his boss in the loop, he turned to see his damp and sorrowful, but still so beautiful friend approaching. 

Taking the smaller man in his arms again, Jim told him what Simon had agreed, and Ben heaved a huge sigh of relief and gratitude for the captain’s willing support. “Thanks, Jim,” he murmured from the shelter of Jim’s embrace. “I’m so grateful to you – to both of you – for everything you’ve already done for me. I know I’m a mess, but without you, I’d be a far worse one. Your presence gives me the courage to face up to what tomorrow will bring. Thank you so much!” 

“De nada, Chief,” Jim whispered softly into a curl-covered ear. “I’m exactly where I want to be, so no need for thanks. Now, are you ready for bed?” 

And when Ben nodded eagerly, they both headed for Ben’s bedroom, arms around each other’s waists. 

But Jim was unhappily certain that it was going to be a very long night.   


\---------------------------  


**Monday morning:**  


Needless to say, it was a hollow-eyed, pale and anxious Ben who emerged from his apartment the following morning, accompanied by a scowling and ultra-protective Jim. Any beneficial healing that had occurred over the previous two nights had been well and truly negated by the horrible suggestion that Daniel’s death could have been anything but accidental. Neither Jim nor Ben had any idea as to whether the reporters camped on his doorstep had gotten wind of the report yet, but Jim wasn’t about to let them accost his shaky partner. Therefore, as soon as they exited the building; Jim’s arm around Ben’s shoulders; he forced his way through the yelling mob like a battering ram until they reached his truck. Bundling Ben inside, he then blasted his horn at them, driving slowly but surely towards them until they were forced to back off, their frustrated indignation plain to see. 

Once safely on their way to the clinic on Rainier’s campus, Jim glanced worriedly over at his friend. It was hardly surprising that the young man was shaking, his leg jiggling in nervous reaction as he fought to calm his thundering heart and steady his breathing. 

“You OK, babe? Do you need me to pull over?” Jim enquired anxiously as he reached across the bench seat to squeeze the bouncing knee comfortingly. 

Ben took a deep breath and offered him a weak grin. “No, I’ll be fine, Jim, honestly. It’s just that I’ve never experienced that kind of harassment before, and it shook me more than I expected. And on top of everything else too,” he added sadly. 

“I understand, babe,” Jim replied. “I guess they have their job to do, but generally speaking, I think it sucks! I often wonder what kind of person it takes to dig into other folks’ problems and tragedies just to write some so-called sensationalist crap. But then again, what about those who read the stuff? Who’s worse, I wonder?” 

Ben’s grin widened slightly at that, although his eyes remained haunted. “Ask me another, Jim!” he chuckled sadly. “Right now I don’t think there’s much difference between them. But anyway, have you been to the U’s clinic before? It’s a bit out of the way because it’s attached to the Human Genome Research facility.” 

Jim grinned at that. “How convenient!” he snickered. “At least it’s not likely that they’ll lose your test sample in transit, then. How quickly do you think they’ll process it for you?” 

“To be honest, I’m not sure, Jim,” Ben answered thoughtfully. “I’m really hoping that it’ll only be a couple of days, but what do I know? But maybe Sally – Dr Sally Marchant – who runs the clinic will do me a favour and put a rush on it for me? I can but ask.” 

“Fair enough, Chief,” said Jim as he turned into the campus’ North Entrance. “So, point me in the right direction, babe,” and as he followed Ben’s directions, he couldn’t help but hope that this Dr Marchant would cooperate.  


\----------------------  


Almost as soon as the pair entered the clinic through the automatic doors, Ben was literally enveloped by a white-coated whirlwind, who appeared as if by magic. As Jim looked on in bemusement, the figure, whose name tag identified her as Dr Marchant, pulled back a little so she could peer appraisingly into Ben’s eyes. At an inch or so taller than Ben; and in her early thirties, according to Jim’s estimation; the doctor wasn’t exactly pretty, her strong features proclaiming her African American heritage, but she was attractive for all that. And easily her best features were her warm, intelligent brown eyes, which at that moment were full of genuine sympathy for Ben. 

“Oh, my dear!” she murmured softly. “You look terrible, Ben! How are you feeling?” 

Ben’s grin was rueful as he shrugged disarmingly. “Oh, Sally! You’re supposed to say I’m looking well! Or are you looking to make a patient of me?” 

She grinned in response to that. “OK, so you’re still your gorgeous self, honey. But you still look terrible, dear! Seriously, how are you doing?” 

He sobered immediately at that, but still met her professional gaze steadily enough. “I could be better, Sally,” he admitted. “But I have great support so I’m doing OK. This is my good friend Jim. Detective Jim Ellison. He’s been an absolute star, taking really good care of me.” 

Sally looked up to meet Jim’s gaze then, her expression politely inquisitive as she studied him carefully for a moment. “You have to be the detective Ben’s been riding with recently,” she said, her face taking on a more welcoming smile. “He’s always waxing lyrical about you, Detective. If anyone’s going to prise him away from the Anthropology Department in favour of police work, I think it’ll be you! And I’m so glad to hear that he has such a good friend in you. 

“I understand that you’re an alpha sentinel, is that correct? So I’m guessing that that’s why young Ben here has decided at long last to take my test!” 

When Ben nodded somewhat bashfully, and Jim reached over to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly, Sally grinned again. 

“OK, then, gents. Let’s get this show on the road. And I believe I would be right in thinking that you’ll want the results a.s.a.p., am I right?” And on receiving both men’s grateful words of assent, she wasted no time in leading them to her lab.  


\-----------------------  


As the two men left the clinic, Jim was pleased to note just the slightest hint of Ben’s usual bounce in the younger man’s step. Smiling affectionately down at his friend, he said, “You OK, babe? Everything good?” 

Ben grinned up at him, this time with some genuine contentment. To be honest, he was feeling much more chipper, despite everything. He had finally had the courage to take the test, and not only that, but Jim’s supreme confidence in a positive result just had to rub off on him. The sentinel had insisted over and over again that his senses told him that Ben was true guide material, and now Ben had the courage to believe it. And not only that, but his friend Sally had promised to get the results through to him by late afternoon, so neither of them would be waiting on tenterhooks for any longer than necessary. And because of all that positive energy to buoy him up, he was able to answer Jim with complete honesty. 

“I’m fine, Jim, really! I feel so relieved that I’ve finally taken the test, and that Sally has been so generous about getting the results rushed through. What with that, and your belief in me, it’s all given me the nerve to get the reading of the Will over and done with, and if the gods allow, by the end of today we’ll both know where we stand. 

“I have to believe that it’ll all be good, man. I have to!” 

Jim smiled down at him, so glad to see the return of his dear friend’s – and soon-to-be-guide’s – confidence, such that he was certain that together they could both weather whatever storm the reading of Daniel’s Will could conjure up with equanimity. 

It was a crying shame that they were both mistaken.   


\-----------------------  


**Shortly afterwards, Francis family mansion:**  


At 10.25 a.m. precisely, Jim and Ben were granted entrance to the Francis Mansion’s grounds, pulling up once again at the grand front door. They were met by Graham, who offered them both a polite smile as he informed them that the reading of the Will was to take place in Daniel’s den-cum-office. When Ben thanked him, he offered to move Jim’s truck again, an offer Jim was happy to accept since he had noted the appreciative gleam in Graham’s eye. In Jim’s amused opinion, anyone who had a similar affection for classic trucks had to be good people! 

However, as they entered the building, both men sobered again, bracing themselves for the upcoming meeting as best they could and in their own ways. For Ben it was a case of concentrating on keeping calm and centred as much as he could, knowing that he was undoubtedly going to be confronted with open hostility at least on the part of his brother. He ruefully acknowledged to himself that it would be a virtually impossible task without Jim’s quiet strength as backup, and the surge of gratitude that ran through him caused him to glance up into the patrician face with a small smile. 

As for Jim, he too was concentrating on keeping his cool, but mainly for Ben’s sake. He knew that his preference would be to get up in Ben’s selfish family members’ faces and let them know exactly what he thought of them, but that wouldn’t do his friend any favours even if momentarily gratifying. So instead, he used his considerable willpower to maintain a watchful but controlled demeanour, his face studiously blank and unconsciously dignified. However, when he caught Ben’s glance, he responded with a quick, reassuring grin before putting his game face firmly back in place. 

Once again crossing the imposing hall, they approached the open door of Daniel’s office. As Jim did a brief but thorough scan of the interior, he noted inconsequentially that the décor was reminiscent of a distinguished gentlemen’s club, with leather Chesterfields and antique bookcases and occasional tables. More importantly, a middle-aged and conservatively dressed man – presumably the family’s lawyer – was seated at the wide mahogany desk at the far end of the room, positioned in view of a large picture window, with Grandfather Ben at his side. There were papers spread out on the desk’s surface, and both men’s expressions were suitably serious as they conversed quietly between them. Suzanne Francis was perched regally on one of the sofas near the desk, her haughty expression hardening even more as she watched Ben and Jim’s approach. 

However, before they had even reached the doorway, they were intercepted by Blake, who had apparently been waiting for their arrival. Stepping out from his hiding place behind the door, he got up into Ben’s face, his own expression one of pure hatred and spite. 

“Come to collect the spoils, _**bro,”**_ he hissed furiously. “Couldn’t wait to get your hands on the family fortune, huh? Is that why you made sure of Father? You murdering little shit!” 

Ben might have been expecting animosity, but this was far, far worse. At first unable to fully comprehend the impact of the horrid accusation, moments later he staggered backwards in utter shock, to come up against Jim’s solid chest. “Wh…wh…what? What do you mean? What are you saying?” he stammered even as he felt Jim’s big hands gripping his shoulders firmly and supportively. 

“I’d have thought it was obvious!” his brother spat, although he too was already backing away in the face of Jim’s deadly stare. Any response the sentinel intended to make, however, was aborted when Grandfather Ben’s commanding voice reached them from across the room. 

“That’s enough! How dare you show such disrespect at a time like this, Blake! Come in and sit down, boy. And be quiet until you have my permission to speak!” 

Although the old man didn’t shout, the power in his voice was unmistakeable, and it was obvious that it had its desired effect as Blake virtually slunk into the room to take a seat beside his mother, but not before he had sent another vindictive glare in Ben’s direction. 

For long moments, Ben fought to contain his instinctive urge to run and hide, the vicious words beating remorselessly in his mind. He could feel Jim growling deep in his chest, the sound vibrating against Ben’s back as the sentinel fought equally hard not to tear his guide’s half-brother limb from limb. Eventually, however, Ben managed to get a grip on his own hurt as his eyes met his grandfather’s across the room. The old man looked as stern and controlled as ever, but Ben could see the pain in his eyes, and knew that he was hurting just as badly. And because of that, Ben determinedly straightened his shoulders and nodded slightly, trying to reassure his grandfather - and Jim - that he was OK. Well, not OK, but able to cope, and that was the important issue right now. 

Glancing back and up into Jim’s ferociously scowling face, he murmured almost sub-vocally, “I’m OK, Jim, really. Enough to get this over with at least, all right?” 

Unable to resist the pleading look in his friend’s eyes, Jim huffed a deep, cleansing breath and nodded briefly. “OK, Chief. If you’re sure, let’s do this!” and together they entered the room, moving to sit side by side on the sofa opposite Suzanne and Blake. 

Once more taking command of the proceedings, Ben Sr. looked around him, meeting everyone’s gazes in turn. Coughing slightly to clear his throat, he addressed them all. “Thank you all for coming here today on this sad occasion. For those of us who haven’t met him before, may I introduce Mr Sawyer, of Sawyer, Muller and Levy, our personal and corporate legal representatives. As you know, Daniel always made a point of keeping both his personal and business affairs in good order, such that his Last Will and Testament is the most recent version. And I can personally assure you of that, because he asked me to go over it with him only two weeks ago, in Mr Sawyer’s presence.” The meaningful glare he directed at Suzanne and Blake spoke volumes about the current tension between them, and although Suzanne’s stance didn’t alter much, her son at least shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his expression both furtive and sheepish. 

Raising his eyes to encompass all present, the old man continued steadily, not about to have his word questioned or allow any other input until he was good and ready. “Before we continue with the reading of the Will, if Mr Sawyer will bear with me a little longer, there is something I want to make perfectly clear. While we have all been made aware of the possibility that my son’s death might not have been accidental, there is absolutely no excuse for the despicable accusation levelled at Ben. It is inconceivable that my eldest grandson would endanger his father in any way whatsoever, do you understand? And I don’t wish to hear anything else like that pass your lips, Blake!” and the repressive glare he directed at that young man was enough to make him squirm. 

Although he didn’t want to make Ben more uncomfortable than he already was, Jim felt he had to speak out as he had a point to make. He wanted to ensure that everyone present, including the family lawyer, were made aware of the fact that he wasn’t just here as Ben’s friend, but as a serving police officer also, who wasn’t about to ignore a murder accusation, however vague. 

“If I may, sir?” he addressed Ben Sr. quietly but firmly. “There’s something I should like to add.” 

At the old man’s somewhat dubious nod of assent, he continued. Glancing over at Suzanne and Blake before meeting the lawyer’s faintly quizzical gaze, he directed his words at Sawyer. “I should like to introduce myself. I am Detective Jim Ellison from Cascade Central PD’s Major Crimes Unit, and a good friend of Ben here. And while I am in complete agreement with his grandfather about his total inability to deliberately hurt another, let alone his own father, I want to make it perfectly clear that there is absolutely no possibility of his having done so. In the timescale the investigators will be considering, he has rock solid alibis for the whole time, one of whom is me,” and his own frowning expression dared anyone to naysay him. 

Apparently though, Blake hadn’t quite finished yet, driven beyond common sense by self-interest and perceived injustice. “So what?” he muttered sulkily aside to his mother. “He could have paid someone to do it for him!” 

Unfortunately for him, sentinel hearing easily picked up every word, and when Jim’s head turned to fix him with a basilisk stare, he blushed bright red and shrank back in his seat. However, Ben’s whispered plea for him to let it go was heeded, if not welcomed, so Jim sat back also, his own message clearly received and understood by the others present. 

Unaware of that last, near-silent and ill-tempered exchange, Grandfather Ben called the meeting to order once more. “Thank you for your contribution, Jim. I appreciate it, as I’m sure does young Ben. 

“And now I’ll let Mr Sawyer take over the floor,” and he turned to offer the man a tight smile. 

And as the lawyer calmly turned over the first page in the file before him, Jim noted cynically that Suzanne finally exhibited some change of expression as both she and Blake leaned forward slightly in the seats, eyes fixed hungrily on Sawyer as he began to speak. Beside him, he felt Ben tense up, his apprehension souring his normally pleasant scent, so Jim surreptitiously squeezed his friend’s knee, offering tacit comfort when it was most needed. 

And it certainly would be needed, as the contents of the Will were revealed.  



	9. Part 9: Repercussions and Decisions Made

**Part 9: Repercussions and Decisions Made:**  


As the lawyer prepared to speak, Jim studied his small audience with interest. Grandfather’s expression remained impassive, although the sentinel could sense the old man’s inner tension. As for Suzanne and Blake, they were watching avidly, Blake’s whole demeanour screaming avarice and impatience. On the other hand, Ben sat rigidly beside him, his tension so great that Jim feared he might snap. The young man was trying to maintain his composure, and superficially might have succeeded in giving that impression, but Jim could literally feel the tremors running through the smaller body, and could smell his fear and anxiety. Jim would have loved to be able to take and hold his hand, or give him a comforting hug, but he figured that now wasn’t the time to provide any more fuel for Blake’s spite, so he contented himself with pressing a little closer. 

Ben seemed to realise what Jim’s intention was, and offered him a quick, grateful grin before composing himself as best he could as Sawyer began to speak. 

Sawyer raised his head to look at each one present in turn, his manner restrained but exuding quiet confidence. He began with Grandfather Ben as a matter of courtesy before addressing the other family members in order of the extent of the bequests, beginning with the lowliest. He mentioned that there were several small gifts for individuals such as loyal retainers like Graham, but refrained from detailing them at present so as not to delay proceedings any longer than necessary. 

Not surprisingly, Grandfather Ben remained as the company’s main shareholder and titular head, that title only passing on to his chosen heir on his death. His own personal fortune was naturally undisclosed as it was not relevant to the current proceedings. 

Sawyer then moved on to Suzanne, and it was obvious by her reception that it was nothing more than she expected. Her simmering anger and greed was all on behalf of her own son, so she was able to listen to Sawyer’s words with relative indifference. She was a wealthy woman in her own right, and already held a substantial number of shares in the company. She also stood to lose none of the privileges that she had always enjoyed as Daniel’s wife, so the smaller portion of his personal fortune was neither here nor there as far as she was concerned. She was equally satisfied with Daniel’s wish for her to continue to be an active participant in fundraising for and the distribution of said funds for the charitable Francis Foundation. However, it was when Sawyer moved on to Blake’s inheritance that her barely-controlled fury re-emerged, and Jim could almost feel the hatred she directed towards his undeserving guide. 

Daniel had bequeathed a substantial number of stocks and shares in the parent company to his younger son, and on top of the trust fund already established for him at his birth, had left him almost half of his personal fortune to the tune of nearly three million dollars. It was nothing to be sneezed at, and indeed, if he was prudent and chose that path, he need never work a day in his life. One might have thought that he would be well-satisfied, but not so. And that could well be because he was to have nothing to do with running the company, or being involved in the managing of the Foundation, so any thoughts he might have harboured about milking funds from that source were completely shot down in flames. And perhaps that was what Daniel had suspected, which was why his trust in his younger son was never great. It became an even likelier probability when Sawyer moved on to detail Ben’s inheritance. 

As Jim had already surmised, knowing about the possible outcome of the reading was nothing when compared to the reality, and Ben’s elevated heart rate and nervous sweat were but mild indications of the young man’s actual shock. However, to his eternal credit, he managed to maintain a reasonably convincing facsimile of control in the face of the positively evil glares Suzanne and Blake were directing at him. And as he would confess afterwards, most of that was achieved because of the solid presence of his friend and sentinel beside him. 

Ben too was to retain the trust fund settled on him at birth, and was also to receive a slightly smaller portion of Daniel’s personal fortune as a one-off, this time at around two million dollars. However, that was more than offset by the remainder of the bequest. Not only was he to become a major shareholder in the parent company, second only to Grandfather Ben, but he was also expected to take over as CEO, with Grandfather’s backing and advice. The intention was clearly that as Ben gained confidence, Grandfather would take a less and less active role until he was more or less a sleeping partner. But as far as Suzanne and Blake were concerned, by far the most telling aspect was that Ben was to take up overall responsibility for the large charitable Foundation, with the accompanying power of decision making. With her own role and power thus reduced, there was no way in Hell that Suzanne would be able to covertly redirect funds to Blake now, and they both knew it. 

Rising to her feet, Suzanne glared around her. “This is ridiculous! I cannot and will not accept that this was what Daniel truly wanted! That his ‘love child’ should get the lion’s share of the Francis fortune when our son is barely recognised! You haven’t heard the last of this!” and she turned on her heel and strode straight-backed out of the room, her nastily smirking son trailing in her wake. 

As the door closed behind them, Ben released a shuddering breath, then looked up to meet first the lawyer’s and then Grandfather’s gazes, his own expression one of sadness and apology, but also resolve. 

“I’m sorry, Mr Sawyer. And Grandfather. That couldn’t have been easy for you, and I apologise for my part in causing this unpleasantness. I have never intended to disrupt or otherwise upset this family in any way, but perhaps if Mother – er…Suzanne – and Blake had stayed, they might have had reason for some conciliation. 

“I really am sorry, Grandfather, but I think you realise by now that I can’t accept this as it stands. But right now I’m too tired and shaken to discuss it further. So I hope you’ll forgive me if Jim and I leave now to think things over? Perhaps we can reconvene tomorrow morning if that’s acceptable to you both? By then I should be in a position to make decisions about mine – and the company’s future. 

“But I promise you, Grandfather, I won’t cause any more damage or disappointment if I can possibly avoid it.” 

Ben Sr. regarded him steadily for a long moment, then nodded in resigned assent. “I understand, Ben. I realise that you never wanted this responsibility, and I think in his heart of hearts Daniel knew it also. But we hoped that perhaps you would eventually accept it anyway. So, yes, by all means go and think things through, and talk it over with Jim here. And as long as Mr Sawyer here is amenable, we’ll meet tomorrow morning, perhaps at his office? It may be less intimidating for you!” 

Ben smiled sadly in appreciation of his grandfather’s thoughtfulness and nodded his acceptance after glancing up at Jim to confirm his agreement. 

Sawyer offered them all a small smile as he also nodded in assent. “That will be perfectly acceptable, Mr Francis,” he said. “Will 10.00 a.m. be convenient?” And once all of them had expressed their satisfaction at the arrangement, Ben and Jim turned to leave after shaking the other men’s hands in polite farewell. 

And as he gently ushered his still shaky young partner out of the room and away from the oppressive atmosphere of the house, Jim couldn’t help but think that Ben’s troubles were far from over.  


\-------------------  


By mutual consent, the two men headed back to Ben’s apartment, mostly because it was the obvious place for Sally Marchant to contact Ben with his test results. It wasn’t the sort of information the considerate doctor would want to pass on via cell phone in a public place, knowing how important it was to Ben. 

Unfortunately, it meant that once again they had to run the gauntlet of the hovering press pack, but Jim reproduced his impression of a human battering ram to get them both inside without Ben having to make any comment. But had they but known it, the omission would make no difference in the long run, as they would discover to their cost soon enough. 

Entering the apartment, Ben headed straight for the nearest sofa and flopped down on it with a sigh of relief. “Gods, Jim, I’m exhausted! I can’t believe I feel so bad, and it’s barely lunchtime! So much for Eli’s Energiser Bunny!” and he chuckled mirthlessly at the weak self-directed joke. 

Jim smiled sadly as he moved to sit beside his smaller friend, nothing but affection in his eyes. “Don’t do yourself down, babe. Neither of us got much sleep last night, and you’ve had one shock after another in a very short space of time, so it’s not surprising that you’re running on adrenalin and fumes. How about I call out for a pizza for a quick and easy lunch, then when you’ve had something to eat and a bit of a rest, we can talk things over, if that’s what you need?” 

Ben rolled his head against the cushioned sofa back to smile warmly over at his sentinel. “That sounds like a great plan, Jim. You’re so good to me. What would I do without you?” 

Jim snickered at that, reaching out to gently ruffle Ben’s curls. “Play your cards right, Junior, and you’ll never have to find out! So, what toppings would you like?” and he reached for the phone. 

Grateful for the light-hearted banter after such an emotional morning, Ben’s grin widened as he said, “Whatever suits you, Jim, honestly! Although I would like some vegetation on my share as well as meat. Nothing like a balanced diet!” 

“You got it, Chief!” replied Jim with an agreeable smile as he proceeded to put the order in.  


\------------------------  


With nothing of the pizza left but crusts, the two men sat together enjoying a beer and each other’s company. Ben was still mulling over his plans now that he knew for sure what his father’s bequest to him was, but he held back on making firm decisions until Sally Marchant’s call came through. So much ultimately hinged on those results, so it was hardly surprising that both men were suffering from a certain amount of trepidation. As for Jim, he was also trying very hard not to exert undue influence on Ben because of his own hopes and desires, and that was no easy task. 

There were a few other calls, some of which were answered willingly enough; like the ones from Simon and Eli wanting to touch base with their friends; but others were studiously ignored, such as sales calls and yet more nuisance calls from the press. 

When the phone rang again, caller ID telling Ben that it was from Sally, he almost froze in fear, unable to pick up the handset immediately as he cast a despairing look over at Jim. However, he forced himself to reach out a trembling hand, trying hard for normal as he said, “Hi, Sally. Ben here. Do you have some news for me?” 

Knowing that Ben wanted – no, needed – him to listen in, Jim dialled up his hearing, praying to every deity he knew that the answer was indeed the one he expected. Sure enough, he relaxed back into his seat in relief as he heard her cheerful response. 

“Good news, Ben! I can tell you positively that you do indeed have the guide gene. It’s from your mother’s side, honey, but it’s there all right. Congratulations, honey! And about time too!” 

Ben was almost too overcome to reply, but he managed it with a huge effort of will. “I…I…thank you so much, Sally! That’s wonderful news, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your speed and efficiency on my behalf. I owe you big time, Sal!” 

“No problem, honey,” came the affectionate response. “I’m happy to have been of service! Now go and tell that gorgeous hunk of a sentinel the good news, and you take care, honey! See you soon!” and she rang off, her pleasant chuckle cutting off as she put the receiver down. 

Ben stared at the handset still clutched in his fist for a moment before shaking himself and setting it carefully back in its cradle. Looking up to meet Jim’s warm gaze, his own expression misty-eyed in pure relief, he almost tottered over to the sofa to collapse bonelessly into Jim’s waiting arms. For many minutes neither man spoke or moved other than to press ever closer as their need for each other’s comfort and support almost overwhelmed them. 

Eventually Ben was able to pull back a little, but only so he could meet Jim’s loving gaze. “It’s true then, isn’t it?” he whispered, still a tad uncertain. “I really am your guide, and you were right all along?” 

Jim’s smile was wide and bright, no uncertainty at all in his fervent answer. “That you are, Ben. I think I could tell from the moment I saw you, even though I didn’t recognise it immediately for what it was. All I knew was that I wanted you, and the more I saw of you, the more my senses told me that you were more than just a great friend. And I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you finally agreed to take that test despite your anxiety, babe. I might have been ninety nine point nine per cent certain that the results would be positive, but I understood your diffidence, babe. 

“So, now we come to the sixty four thousand dollar question, babe. Will you be my guide? Bond with me?” 

Ben’s reply was unequivocal. “Yes! Yes Jim! Please! I want to be your guide more than anything in the world! Now? Please?” 

And there was no way Jim was going to turn that offer down. 

Although both men were eager to cement their bond, in all honesty, neither of them was entirely certain how to go about it. Even with Jim’s sentinel instincts and Ben’s extensive academic studies and resulting theories to go by, neither of them had actually witnessed any such ritual. Having said that, they both rather assumed that sex would be involved, and they certainly had no problem with that concept. 

However, once they had retired to Ben’s bedroom by mutual consent, he rather bashfully confessed to having very little experience of sex with another man. 

“Um, this is a bit embarrassing, Jim, but I have to tell you, man. It’s only fair. You see, I have had a few girlfriends, and slept with some of them, but…um…I’ve never gotten beyond first base with the one or two guys I’ve dated. I think it was because I was worried about them getting too rough, because they were all bigger than me! But I do trust you not to hurt me, Jim, and not just because I think you’re my sentinel. It’s just that I feel like such a pathetic dork to admit to any sort of virginity!” 

On the other hand, Jim couldn’t have been more pleased, and hastened to reassure his soon-to-be lover. “Not at all, babe! I’m honoured to know that I’ll be your first, Ben, and I promise to make it good for you, babe. We’re already well-used to cuddling together, so how about I start by imprinting you properly, and we’ll go on from there? You’re so beautiful, babe. This is something I’ve wanted to do for an age. But I don’t want to scare you this first time, so we don’t have to use penetration until you’re ready. Just enjoy ourselves and see what happens.” 

He could easily read the relief in Ben’s eyes even though he knew the young man was eager to please. “Thanks, Jim, that sounds perfect. So, bed now?” 

Jim nodded happily, and reached out to undress his partner with gentle hands, looking his fill as he stripped Ben naked for the first time. In shorts and tee, his young friend was so tantalising, but naked he was irresistible, and Jim was hard put not to throw him down onto the bed and have his wicked way with him. But he had promised to take good care of Ben, and take care he would. 

Quickly stripping off his own clothes, he was gratified to see the admiring expression on Ben’s face as he also looked his fill at the sculpted body before him. 

“Oh, gods, Jim! You’re magnificent!” he breathed as he reached out to reverently touch a well-defined pectoral. “How did I get so lucky?” 

“How did we _both_ get so lucky,” Jim replied, slowly lowering his head to take those luscious lips in a gentle but thorough kiss at last. And when Ben responded eagerly, he lowered them both onto the big bed, placing Ben in the centre so he could easily access the smaller, but equally attractive body. 

At receiving an immediate invitation in answer to his tacit question, he began to map his guide-to-be intimately and thoroughly, using all his senses to the max to imprint everything about his love. And as he looked, touched, listened, sniffed and tasted to his heart’s content, Ben writhed beneath him, so utterly turned on by the erotic actions, and from being the focus of Jim’s attention that he was soon begging for release. And Jim was hardly going to deny him, being equally aroused. And as they climaxed together almost as one, holding each other tightly and kissing deeply, an amazing thing happened. It was almost as if at that moment they merged as one in an intense, bright flash of power and light; feeling as the other felt, and knowing what the other knew. And it was transcendental. They were joined forever, and neither man would ever be alone again for as long as they lived, and perhaps even beyond. 

Lying together in the aftermath, limbs lazily entwined and sharing the wonder in each other’s eyes, Ben smiled softly as he reached up a lax hand to cup Jim’s cheek. “I love you, Jim. So much. That was unbelievable. Truly wondrous. I could never have imagined such a thing in a million years, and still can’t understand what I did to deserve such a gift.” 

“You deserve it because you’re you, babe,” Jim replied with a smile. “And so do I, for that matter. We were meant to be, Chief, and that’s all I need to know. We’re a true team now, babe, and nothing can stop us.” 

Ben smiled at that, dropping his head to snuggle his face into Jim’s neck. He felt certain now that he had the strength to begin to put his - _their_ \- plans in motion in the morning, but there was one more thing he wanted to run by his sentinel before he fell asleep. _My Sentinel! How good is that?_ he thought happily as he murmured, “I want to try and find my real mom, Jim. Do you think it’s doable? And do you think it’s a good idea?” 

Jim knew instinctively that his guide needed his verbal reassurance despite their new bond on account of the young man’s recent trauma, so he replied honestly. “It might not be easy, babe, but there’s no reason why you can’t try. And I’ll help you in any way I can, I promise. Just don’t get too down if we can’t find her, babe, OK?” And what he didn’t say was that he hoped that Ben wasn’t disappointed if they succeeded, and the woman wanted nothing to do with her child. That was something they would deal with when the time came. Together. 

It was enough for Ben though, and he nodded contentedly against his comfy ‘Jim-pillow’ before sinking into gentle slumber. 

And as Jim followed him into a healing rest, they both believed that there was nothing more that the following morning could throw at them that they couldn’t deal with. 

But life is never that easy, even for a bonded sentinel and guide.   



	10. Part 10: A Spiteful Act and its Consequences

**Part 10: A Spiteful Act and its Consequences:**  


The following morning, Ben woke up smiling, comfortable and comforted in Jim’s warm embrace. He had quickly gotten used to the pleasure of sharing a bed with his sentinel, but this morning it felt – well - _more_ somehow, and not just because of the very satisfying sex. Raising his head he gazed up into Jim’s smiling face, giggling as his lover dropped a kiss on the end of his nose. 

“Morning, Sunshine,” the bigger man said, handsome face creasing into an even wider grin at the sight of his cross-eyed bed partner. “How are you feeling this morning?” 

Ben smiled up at him, love and happiness in his big blue eyes. “I feel fine, Jim. Only _different_ perhaps? I mean, it’s something I don’t think I can put into words yet,” but at Jim’s cheerfully quizzical look, he knew he’d have to try. 

“See, Jim, although it’s only been - what? - five months or so since we met, I knew I loved you almost from the get-go. But now, now we’re really bonded – or at least, I _think_ we are!” he added with a cheeky grin, “it’s a different kind of love. Like enhanced, you know? And last night it felt as if we became as one. Not just because of the sex, although that was truly amazing, man. But as if we shared one soul, I mean. As if we always have? Do you think it’s destiny at work, or perhaps some sort of reincarnation?” 

Jim looked thoughtful at that, considering his guide’s suggestion. “To be honest, babe, I couldn’t really say. I mean, yes, it was wonderful last night, and I agree that it felt like we merged somehow, but I don’t know about it being destiny or whatever. Confirmed old cynic that I am, I think that’s too much for me to take in. But I can and will say that it felt right, as if it was meant to be, and I’m happy with that. 

“But sadly, much as I’d like to stay here and cuddle you some more, the bathroom’s calling me pretty urgently, and we need to get up and ready for the meeting with Sawyer. I don’t want to have to arrive there in a mad rush, babe.” 

Ben nodded understandingly. “You’re right, Jim, so how about you hit the bathroom and I’ll put the coffee on? But here’s a thought. Um, it’s a big shower. Perhaps we could share? Save time and water?” he asked hopefully. 

“You’re on, Chief!” Jim agreed with alacrity even as he gently shifted Ben’s warm body off of his in order to get out of bed. “See you in there in a few, babe!”  


\-----------------------  


Some while later, two clean and very satisfied men emerged from the bathroom, but in all honesty they hadn’t saved that much time after all. Not that they were too concerned. They still had time for a decent breakfast before setting out, and they intended to make the most of the opportunity to chill out a bit more before coping with the stresses of the day. But unfortunately, Fate had something else in mind for them. 

They were just clearing up after their breakfast of eggs and toast, intending to have a last cup of coffee before setting out when Jim suddenly looked up, his head cocked as he went on alert. “We’re about to have a visitor, babe,” he murmured, frowning suspiciously. “I think it’s Simon approaching the building. I can smell his cigars!” 

Sure enough, a few seconds later the captain was announcing himself over the intercom, to be buzzed in immediately by a worried Ben. “Why would the captain be coming here, Jim?” he murmured, not actually expecting an answer. “It can’t be for anything good, surely!” 

“We’ll soon find out, babe,” Jim replied soothingly. “Maybe it’s nothing but a social call, so don’t let’s borrow trouble!” He didn’t believe his own words, though, and Ben knew it. 

Opening the door at Simon’s knock, Ben smiled a little timidly as he invited the big captain in. And by the look on the dark features, both he and Jim knew that it was bad. 

Simon didn’t waste time even trying to lessen his friends’ apprehension to no purpose, and just handed over the newspaper he had rolled up in his hand. 

Swallowing hard in real trepidation now, Ben opened up the copy of the ‘Cascade Herald’, aware of Jim’s protective presence at his back. And nearly collapsed when he saw the glaring headline on the front page. 

**‘Secrets of Francis Love Child Exposed!’**  


Watching worriedly as Jim eased his white-faced lover onto the nearest sofa, Simon shook his head dispiritedly. “I take it you guys haven’t watched the news this morning then. I’m sorry, Ben, but it’s all over the TV also. Someone somewhere has it in for you, kid.” 

Looking up to meet his boss and friend’s eyes, his expression livid, Jim snarled, “I think we both have a good idea about who’s behind this, Simon. Have you read it?” 

Simon nodded sadly. “Yes, Jim. And it’s pretty sensational stuff. No wonder it has the media and the public salivating and baying for more. I’m really sorry, guys.” 

By that time Ben had forced himself to scan through the lead article, his heart clenching with fear and disgust at the sordid details revealed. Blake – because it had to be Blake – had revealed all about Ben’s birth, even including the name of his natural mother. And what was worse, although the journalist had carefully stopped short of libel, the death of Daniel Francis was mentioned in such a way as to insinuate that his ‘love child’ might have had a hand in it. It was too much, and he couldn’t hold back the sob of grief that escaped him, even though he gamely fought against the tears that threatened to fall. 

Instead, he looked up to meet the gazes of the two big men watching him with such concern. 

“How could he, Jim? I mean, it had to be Blake, didn’t it? This is going to hurt Grandfather so badly!” 

Sinking to his knees before his guide, Jim shook his head in gentle exasperation. How typical of Ben to be more concerned about how this trash would affect his grandfather than himself! 

“I think it must have been, Ben. You’re right. No one else but Blake and Suzanne would have anything to gain from this sort of muck-raking. And although I don’t like her, I can’t see Suzanne Francis sinking so low. It’s beneath her dignity. I think that your brother must have done this almost immediately after they stormed off yesterday, because they have no idea yet about your actual intentions as regards the inheritance.” 

Ben nodded sadly, his sorrow almost palpable, but then he deliberately dropped the newspaper on the coffee table next to him and looked up, determination now clear on his face and in his eyes. 

“Well, what’s done is done, and all I can do is try to help Grandfather in whatever way I can. But it doesn’t change what we planned, Jim, does it? I mean, this is probably as good a time as any to run our ideas by Captain Banks, isn’t it?” 

Shaking his head and grinning wryly at his lover’s resilience, Jim said, “Fair enough, babe. If you’re up to it, why not?” Then, turning to grin up at Simon, he added, “Why don’t you take a seat, sir? I’ll get you a coffee while Ben explains. He’s so much better at it than I am!” 

So Ben did. 

He kept his explanation and request succinct and to the point because they didn’t have that much time to spare before setting out for the lawyer’s office. He briefly confirmed the truth behind his birth, but didn’t go into detail about what he intended to do about his inheritance, other than saying that he wouldn’t be taking over the family firm. He did, however, have time to ask Simon’s opinion about his hopes of working with Jim at the PD, and the reasons behind it. 

Watching him carefully, Simon considered his response before saying, “OK, Ben. So, you’re saying that you’ve taken the test, and you are a guide. Jim’s guide, to be precise. You’ve ‘bonded’, whatever that means, and now you want to work with him at the PD officially. I have to say that as far as I’m concerned, it couldn’t be better, because Jim is a huge asset to the department, and has been even more so with your backup. 

“But I have to ask, in what capacity do you want to become official? I’m guessing that you won’t be short of money, whatever you decide to so with the bulk of your inheritance, but just working as a guide surely won’t satisfy you? I mean, even Jim gets bored with routine stuff!” 

“Hey, I resent that!” Jim interjected, only with a grin to take the sting out of his words. “But you’re right, Simon. Tell him the rest, babe!” And if he was concerned about Simon’s raised eyebrow at the gentle endearment, he gave no sign of it. 

Ben grinned fondly at them both before continuing. “Well, I was thinking that perhaps I could also work officially as a consultant? I mean, there are other police departments around the country who now employ anthropologists on a case-by-case basis, so I was hoping that perhaps Cascade might consider it too? And although I have yet to run it by Eli – Dr Stoddard, that is – I hope to be able to continue to do some teaching at the U on occasion too. I have a feeling they won’t object too strongly seeing as they’ll undoubtedly hope to benefit from my new fortune!” he added, trying hard to keep the cynicism from his tone. 

Looking thoughtful, Simon nodded slowly. “Sounds like you’ve both given this a deal of thought, guys. Look, leave it with me for now, but I’m thinking that we can definitely do something with your ideas. I can’t see either the Chief or the Commissioner wanting to pass up on an opportunity like this. Especially if it’s not going to cost them too much!” he added drily, quirking an eyebrow at a grinning Ben. 

“Anyhow, I’ll be on my way and let you get on too. Once again, I’m really sorry about the news, Ben, and should warn you that those muckrakers outside your building are still lying in wait for you. So if you need any added protection, just give me a call!” 

Jim smirked at that. “Thanks, boss, but I think we’ve got it covered! But if it gets worse, I’ll let you know. We’ll give you a call tonight; let you know how Ben got on at the lawyers, OK?” 

“You got it Jim. Take care, Ben!” and with that Simon let himself out, leaving two rather stunned friends behind him. 

“You know, I think it’s going to work out OK, babe,” Jim murmured, moving to take his guide into his arms. “As far as the PD’s concerned, that is. I’m so very sorry about the news, babe. But I’m with you all the way; you know that, don’t you?” 

Ben smiled sadly as he leaned into Jim’s comforting warmth. “Yeah, I know, Jim. And I’ll be OK, honest. I just wish that it hadn’t happened, for Grandfather’s sake, you know? It’s too much.” 

“That it is, Chief,” Jim agreed sadly. “But he’ll know it wasn’t your fault. And we mustn’t keep him waiting to hear what you’ve decided, babe, so let’s make a move.”  


\----------------------  


**Shortly afterwards, at the lawyers’ office building:**  


Jim pulled into the private parking lot behind the building that housed the legal firm of Sawyer, Muller and Levy. It was an elegant, older building as befits the type of well-respected practice retained by an established family like the Francis clan. In deference to the location and the gravity of the situation, both Jim and Ben were wearing formal suits, but a small, shared spark of mischief meant that they had still arrived in Jim’s truck, which looked more than a little incongruous parked next to the Cadillacs, Mercedes and BMWs already parked there. 

Locking his door and patting the truck’s hood affectionately, Jim looked down at his smaller partner, a frown of concern creasing his brow. “Are you OK, babe?” he asked quietly. “It’s not too late to change your mind about any of this. You know I’ll back you up whatever you choose to do.” 

Ben smiled sadly up at him, so grateful for his sentinel’s support. “I’m OK, Jim, honestly. I’m not going to change my mind. I really do want to keep working with you at the PD – it’s what you were born to do, just as I now believe I was born to help you. For the good of the tribe, man. But I’m just really worried about Grandfather. He’s going to be disappointed in me, I know, but this media frenzy’s going to hurt him even more. Sad to say, his pride in the family name means that he’s going to take this exposé hard.” 

Jim nodded, but still felt the need to get his point across. “I’m sure you’re right, Chief, and I admire your capacity for caring for others as well as for forgiveness. But remember this, babe. Your grandfather was a co-conspirator in your kidnapping, babe. Because that’s what it was, no more and no less. If your father wanted you for himself, then he should have taken the legal route. Who knows how hard it must have been for your real mother?” 

Ben looked away briefly at that, point taken only too well. Biting his lower lip unconsciously, he took a moment to regain his composure. However, he respected Jim for telling it like it is, and wanted to reassure his lover that he wasn’t about to take umbrage at being forced to face the truth. 

“You’re right, of course, Jim. I guess in one sense you could say that Grandfather – and the family - has had their comeuppance after all this time. And you’re also right about my real mom. She might have been a runaway like Suzanne said, but perhaps she loved me anyway? I wish I could find her and find out for sure.” 

“Well, as to that, we can start a search whenever you’re ready, Chief. Like I said, it might take some time, but if it’s humanly possible, we’ll find her. But now we’d better go on in, babe, and get this over with,” and with that he gently took Ben’s arm and turned him towards the building, which they entered together, Jim’s hand warm in the small of Ben’s back. 

At the Reception desk, the smartly dressed young woman smiled politely up at them, plainly recognising Ben. “Good morning, gentlemen. Mr Sawyer is expecting you, so please go right in. His office is the first door on the right at the top of the stairs. Mr Francis is already there.” 

They thanked her and climbed the wide, marble staircase, Ben’s nervousness growing as they neared their destination. However, he wasn’t about to let it get to him any more than he could help, and he offered a small grin of reassurance to Jim when the older man glanced quizzically down at him. Raising his hand, he knocked firmly on the solid mahogany door whose gleaming brass nameplate identified it as Sawyer’s office. At the lawyer’s invitation to enter, Ben took a deep, fortifying breath and opened the door. He could do this. With Jim at his side, he could do anything. 

Nevertheless, barely into the meeting he was seriously beginning to doubt his own resolve, and that was mainly on account of Grandfather. He knew Jim was silently willing him to hold on, but it was harder than he thought, his desire not to hurt the old man further nearly making him change his mind. Ben Sr. looked as if he had aged another decade, and perhaps for the first time ever, Ben could recognise his frailty. All Ben’s life Grandfather had seemed proud and strong; a pillar of strength within the family and the community; but now he seemed shrunken and sad, just an old man feeling his years. 

As Ben had feared, the press release had hit him hard; having his family’s reputation dragged through the mud so soon after his son’s death was almost too much to bear. But when all was said and done, it wasn’t Ben’s fault, and he had his sentinel to consider now, and with that thought at the forefront of his mind he was able to say what was needed. 

“I’m sorry, Grandfather. But I have thought things through and discussed the options with Jim. And I have to say that I haven’t changed my mind. Yes, I will keep my Trust fund, and accept my share of Father’s personal fortune, but I can’t accept anything else to do with either the parent company or the Foundation. It wouldn’t be right, as there’s no way I will ever become CEO. It isn’t in me to do so, and I think you know it. There must be someone you can trust on the Board who can take over the role and keep the company running smoothly until you decide what to do.” 

For a moment, Ben Sr. drew himself upright in his chair, a spark of the old autocratic patriarch gleaming briefly in his eyes, but then he deflated again. “I understand, Ben. Or at least, I believe I do. You never really fitted into the mould Daniel and I wanted for you. It must be because you’re more your mother’s son after all. And for the record, now it’s all out in the open anyway, I am sorry that you’ve suffered because of our actions after your birth. It was wrong; I admit it now, to snatch you like that. But you have to understand that Daniel – and Suzanne – were both deeply distressed by the loss of their firstborn. She went into such a decline that we all feared for her sanity. 

“But that’s no excuse, I know. And once her own son was born, even I noticed how much more deeply she cared for him. And spoiled him rotten! I can’t and won’t forgive him for the way he’s behaved towards you, and betrayed his family’s trust also. I can’t stop him receiving his bequest, but he’ll never sit on the Board of our company. And neither he nor Suzanne will ever hold a majority stake in the charitable Foundation either, that I can promise you! Those funds will continue to reach the charities they are destined for, not line those two’s pockets! 

“But are you absolutely sure that you want to cut your ties with the Francis Foundation completely?” 

Ben rose to his feet at that, and moved to take his grandfather’s hands in his. 

“Yes, Grandfather, I’m sure. I know now why I never really fitted in, and there’s something else I should tell you. The main reason why I can’t become CEO. You see, I took the guide gene test yesterday, and it was positive. I have the gene, through my mother’s line. And Jim here is my sentinel. We’re a team now, Grandfather, and I want – no, need – to work alongside him. It’s what sentinels and guides do. I’m sorry, Grandfather, but that’s the way it is.” 

Grandfather gazed into his eyes for a long moment, before shaking his head in sorrowful resignation. “Oh, my boy! I see now that we did you a huge disservice by keeping the secret of your birth from you for so long. You were never meant to be like us – your father and myself. You should have been following your own path all along. It’s a credit to you that you managed to achieve your goals despite our opposition, and I wish you well. You and your sentinel!” and he shifted his approving glance over to meet Jim’s steady gaze before smiling sadly at Ben once again. 

“Good luck to you, my boy. Whatever you might think, I do appreciate your achievements in the academic world, and I dare say that you and Jim will go on to even greater things together. 

“Take care of yourselves, boys, and I’m sure we’ll weather this storm in our own ways.” 

David Sawyer had had little input thus far, but had watched the proceedings with avid interest. Realising that the discussion was more or less done for now, he smiled politely and sat forward to address them all. “Thank you for coming, Ben. And Detective Ellison. If you are completely certain about your decisions, I shall be happy to start the appropriate paperwork to set your choices in motion. Once the draft documents have been completed, I shall contact you again so that you can look them over before setting your signature to anything. Will that be satisfactory?” 

Assuring him that it would be, Ben and Jim prepared to leave after bidding goodbye to Ben Sr. 

But it was a sad and pensive pair who made their way back to the truck.   


\-------------------------  


**Meanwhile, in San Francisco:**  


Seated in the kitchen of their pretty little house in Haight-Ashbury, Naomi opened her laptop to check her emails. Her life-partner Mia was humming to herself as she worked on her latest piece of jewellery, a beautiful hand-crafted pendant she was doing on a commission for a mutual friend. Over the years her reputation had grown along with her expertise and artistic talent such that her pieces were much sought after by discerning buyers, and Naomi was very proud of her lover. 

Smiling to herself as the machine booted up, Naomi pondered on her life for a moment or two, knowing that in nearly every way she had been both happy and lucky. Except for that one awful instance that she knew she’d never get over as long as she lived. She had spent many years travelling, but always returning to Mia and San Fran. Yes, she had had other relationships, but they never lasted, and that was because deep down she had always loved her dear friend and confidante from her youth. And one memorable day nearly ten years ago now, she had finally admitted to her attraction, overjoyed to find that Mia had always felt the same way. The only reason why her friend hadn’t said anything before was that she still held herself partly responsible for the disappearance of Naomi’s baby. It was something they had both had to learn to live with, and Naomi often wondered how her little Blair was doing. She always hoped that whoever had taken him had cared for him properly, and that he had grown into a fine young man. 

The one thing she never considered was that he might be dead, because that was just too hard on both her and Mia. 

Opening the first of many emails, she frowned in perplexity at the brief note from a friend in Cascade who she hadn’t seen in years. Not since she gave up travelling to music festivals, in fact. 

Noticing Naomi’s distraction, Mia put down her work and moved over to place a gentle hand on Naomi’s shoulder. “Everything OK, Nay? Is it bad news?” 

Naomi smiled briefly up at her, although the slight frown remained in place. “I don’t know, Sweetie. I mean, I haven’t heard from Castor in an age, and now he’s sent me a link to a page in his local paper, the ‘Cascade Herald’. Should I open it, do you think?” 

“I guess so, honey,” Mia replied thoughtfully. “It looks authentic, so it should be safe enough.” 

Nodding in assent even though she was still a little wary, Naomi clicked on the link to stare incredulously at the article that appeared on the screen before her. “What is this? I don’t understand!” she murmured. But as she read on, Mia reading it over her shoulder, it soon became clear enough. 

“Oh goddess! Oh, Mia, darling! Do you think it could really be? After all this time?” Pushing back from the table in shock, she almost fell into Mia’s waiting arms. Clinging together they rocked as the tears began to fall. At long last it seemed as if their prayers had been answered, and Blair was found.   



	11. Part 11: Endings and New Beginnings

**Part 11: Endings and New Beginnings:**  


After leaving the lawyer’s offices, Jim and Ben decided to return to the loft rather than run the gauntlet of reporters outside Ben’s building. Having already received the all-important call regarding his test results, Ben figured that he could be contacted via his cell phone for anything else, and besides, his landline was being pretty much taken over by repeated calls for interviews and other crank calls. At least so far his private email address hadn’t been hacked, but he had no doubt that his public university one would be stuffed with junk mail by now, and he was in no hurry to go through it. 

“You OK, babe?” Jim’s voice cut into his musings as they pulled up outside 852 Prospect. 

Ben smiled over at his bigger lover, his eyes still mournful, but loving for all that. “Yeah, Jim, I’m OK, honestly. I’m glad to have gotten that over with, but I admit that it was really hard seeing Grandfather like that. I mean, he always seemed indestructible to me while I was growing up, and now, well, he’s just an old man trying to keep up appearances. But, you know, I can’t hate him even if he did conspire to have me kidnapped. If you’re brought up to believe that wealth and power are yours by right, it’s not your fault if you misuse them for your own ends. I’m not saying that it’s excusable, but in the minds of the rich and famous, it’s just something that comes naturally.” 

Jim frowned at that, plainly unconvinced by his guide’s attempt to look objectively at an unacceptable behaviour. “You know, Chief, I think you’re far too forgiving. After all, you’ve been brought up with the same privileges, just as I was, but it would never occur to you to abuse them. And I hope I wouldn’t either. I think it’s down to basic honesty and goodness – on your part anyway. And call me cynical, but I reckon that’s probably from your mom’s side. Because let’s face it, you and Blake couldn’t be more different!” 

Ben grinned sadly in response, not offended by Jim’s words. He might have done a psych minor at Rainier, but after everything that had happened recently, too many of the theories and beliefs he had held dear had been turned upside down, and it was going to take him a while to find his equilibrium again. But the good thing was that he knew he wasn’t going to have to do it alone. 

“You’re probably right, Jim, but I don’t really want to think about it anymore just yet. What I _do_ want is to get out of this monkey suit and relax for a few. I know that I have to get on with my life soon enough, and I’ll start thinking about that tomorrow, but it’s not too self-indulgent to take the rest of today off, is it?” 

Jim shook his head fondly. “No, babe, it’s not at all. Hell, most folks would probably be taking way longer to get over the sort of shocks you’ve had, so yes, we can both enjoy a few more hours of down-time.” 

With that, they climbed out of the truck and entered the building, Jim’s arm wrapped protectively around his guide’s shoulders, their only thought to get comfortable and chill out together, shutting the world out for just a little while longer.   


\---------------------------  


Back in San Francisco, Naomi and Mia were busily making plans. Although Naomi admitted that she was nervous about attempting to see her son after all this time, especially given the environment in which he had been brought up, she knew she had to do it for her own sake. Just to see how he was, and to satisfy herself that he could survive this apparent traumatic disruption in his life. She simply couldn’t conceive of how a family such as the Francis clan could have kept the secret of his birth from him for all this time, but then again, any family that could condone kidnapping could hardly hold the high moral ground. It was to be hoped that he had someone to lean on other than those self-seeking individuals. 

She admitted to Mia that she did feel a little sorry to learn of Daniel Francis’ death, because even though she had never known his name, she had never blamed him for her pregnancy. She had been feeling no pain at the time, and didn’t regret keeping their baby. But she regretted now all the lost time she should have spent with him bringing him up to be the ‘child of the world’ from her youthful dreams. 

Having gotten over their initial shock, she and Mia had begun to do an internet search to find out as much about little Blair – or Benjamin Francis II – as was possible. Luckily, in these days of social media and Google, it turned out to be quite a lot of available information. And what she learned convinced her that trying to meet him was the right thing to do. Having followed the link to Rainier University, she had pulled up his history there, and learned of his achievements at such a young age, vicariously proud of the bright and talented boy she had brought into the world. 

“Goddess, Mia! He looks so beautiful. I think he has a look of my maternal grandfather, Levi Rosen. And he’s done so well! Who’d have thought that he’d follow an academic career! So perhaps all that money and position hasn’t ruined him after all, despite what that news report implied. I just hope that by trying to see him I’m not making things worse for him. Do you think I’m being selfish, darling?” 

Mia pursed her lips, her pretty face creased in thought. “No, Nay, I don’t think you’re being selfish at all. I think it’s only natural that you should want to satisfy yourself that he’s OK, and can survive this mess. And you know I’ll be with you, don’t you? I’m not letting you do this alone, honey. After all, I’ve spent all these years worrying about him too, especially because he was stolen on my watch. You know I’ve never forgiven myself for that.” 

Naomi leaned over and kissed her lover’s cheek. “I know, Mia. I know you haven’t even though I’ve told you time and again that it wasn’t your fault, dear. If Daniel was that keen on snatching his son, it would have happened anyway, given the slightest opportunity. The only thing I regret is that I listened to Wallace and didn’t go to the police. I know we haven’t had the best of relations with the ‘pigs’ over the years, but now I believe that official sources might have located Blair where our social networking couldn’t. 

“But that’s water under the bridge now. Now, even if I can’t put things right, I just need to let him know that I’m still here, and am willing to help him in whatever way I can. In whatever way we _both_ can!” 

Mia smiled and hugged her then. “So, we’d better see if we can find out where he lives, hadn’t we? I do rather hope that it’s not at the family mansion though,” she added wryly, having seen the photograph of the place in the newspaper article. “I think I might feel a little intimidated going there!” 

“You and me both, darling! But if I have to, I will!” Naomi declared firmly, and Mia knew that tone only too well. The Francis family had better watch out!  


\--------------------  


**Wednesday morning, the loft:**  


Wednesday morning dawned bright and clear, Cascade’s rare sunshine streaming through the skylight above Jim’s big bed. He and Ben had had a relatively restful night following gentle lovemaking, meant to comfort and strengthen their bond rather than passionate and intense, because Jim believed – rightly - that it was what Ben needed most. They had spent the previous afternoon and evening as they had hoped to, just kicking back together and discussing their plans for the immediate future in more detail. They had received a couple of important calls, the first of which was from Simon to say that the reporters had been moved on from outside Ben’s building, so it should be safe enough to go back to collect what he needed for the day. Ben had smiled ruefully at that, saying, “I’m glad, Jim. And not just for my sake! I hate to think how much of a nuisance those guys have been to the other residents in the building. I’m going to have to apologise profusely to them all once things have quieted down some.” 

The second call had been later in the evening via Ben’s cell phone, and wasn’t so welcome, even if it was brief. It was actually from Ben Sr., to inform Ben that Daniel’s funeral was set to take place on the Friday. Although the inquiry into the accident hadn’t been completed yet, with the autopsy done there was no reason not to release Daniel’s remains to his family for burial, and Grandfather obviously wanted to make the arrangements without further delay. 

After terminating the call, Ben had met Jim’s concerned gaze, his eyes bright with unshed tears. “Gods, Jim, I know I was expecting it, but now I actually have the date, it seems to be more real, if you know what I mean? Like Father’s really dead, and this isn’t all just a bad dream. And thanks to that press release, can you imagine what it’s going to be like on Friday? I know Grandfather will be putting on an appropriately grand show, but it’s going to be teeming with folks who are there as much for morbid gratification as genuine regret at his passing. And of course, there’s no way I can refuse to go.” 

Jim had simply taken his guide into his arms then, because there was nothing he could say to make it better. As Ben said, he had to be there, as did the other family members, but there would be plenty of others who would be there for any number of reasons; some of them most definitely uncharitable. It was more than likely that there would be a goodly showing of reporters too, but there was no way Jim would allow them to approach Ben if it was in his power, and he was fairly sure that there would be some of Ben’s colleagues from both the university and from the PD there also to boost his guide’s confidence. 

Once up and moving, the two men had shared a shower again, both deciding that there was more to the concept of saving water than they had previously imagined. Ben most definitely looked more relaxed, almost glowing with residual pleasure, and Jim was only too glad to have been of service. 

However, even as they sat down to enjoy a light breakfast of coffee, OJ and toasted bagels, another call came through to Jim from Simon. 

“Hey, Jim,” he began without preamble. “Have you guys checked out the news yet? You’d best tell Ben that he’s hit the headlines again, man. I’m sorry, guys, but I thought I’d give you a heads-up. 

“You going to come into the PD later today?” 

Jim sighed in exasperation even as he looked towards his guide, who was watching him with troubled eyes. “Thanks for the warning, Simon, and no, we hadn’t seen the news. I’ll tell Ben, OK? He’s not going to be happy. 

“But if he’s still up for it, yes, we do intend to drop by briefly, and go to Rainier also to touch base. And by the way, Daniel Francis’ funeral is going to be held on Friday, just so’s you know.” 

“Fair enough, Jim. I suspect there’ll be a lot of Ben’s friends from the PD wanting to attend, especially from Major Crimes. And I already know you’ll be there, Jim, so no need to ask for more time off. Look, give him my regards, and tell him I’m really sorry about the media nonsense. Take care, man, and see you later.” 

Jim put the phone down and crossed to his lover again. “Sorry, babe, but as you already guessed, that was Simon again. He says that you’re in the news again, so I guess we ought to check it out – see what they’ve come up with this time?” 

Ben swallowed hard, his face drawn and expression bleak as he raised sad and resigned eyes to meet Jim’s. “Shit, Jim, what now? What else can they possibly ‘expose’?” and with that he turned to stare over towards the blank TV screen, although what he was seeing in his mind’s eye right then was anyone’s guess. 

Jim shook his head in weary exasperation as he reached for the remote. This was going to be fun. Not! 

Sitting side by side, they watched anxiously as the vacuous blonde anchor-woman from the local TV channel pulled up a full screen shot of the Cascade Herald’s front page. Even though he had been psyching himself up for trouble, Ben couldn’t hold back the gasp of horrified surprise at the headline. 

**‘Francis Love Child Shuns Family Fortune!’**  


It was Jim who spoke up first, pure anger and incredulity in his tone as he pulled Ben into a one-armed hug. “How the fuck could they have gotten hold of that? It’s unbelievable! I’m so sorry, babe!” 

Ben turned to face him, eyes wide and so sad Jim wanted to bundle him up and take him back to bed, to stay there cocooned in Jim’s arms until all this distress was over with. However, he knew immediately that he was doing his guide a disservice by thinking that he needed shielding to that extent, his young lover’s courage still there and fighting back. 

“Whoever it was, I don’t think it was Blake this time, Jim. He’d have nothing to gain from it after all, would he? And Grandfather would kick him out of the house if he tried anything like that again, I’m sure. So someone somewhere must be supplying the media with snippets of leaked information, and until they’ve found someone else to hound, for the moment I’m fair game. Well, me and my family. So I guess all I can do is try and work through it and hope that eventually it’ll all die down. Especially once the funeral’s over. 

“Then again,” he added softly, thoughts turning inwards again, “What if the results of the inquiry are inconclusive? Or even worse, conclude that it wasn’t an accident? I don’t think I could take that…” 

That was enough for Jim, and he pulled Ben into a warm hug, rocking him as he murmured, “Don’t, baby. Don’t think like that, not now. You have enough to deal with without imagining the worst. Just let’s get through the next few days, OK? And to hell with the press!” 

He felt Ben nod against his chest, giving the smaller man an extra squeeze before they pulled apart, smiling into each other’s eyes. 

“Thanks, man. I needed that, Jim. You never let me brood on stuff, and I’m grateful for that. 

“So, if you don’t mind cold bagels and re-heated coffee, I guess we’d better get breakfast over with, huh? I’d like to go back to my place to grab my gear now Simon says the coast’s clear, and after I’ve checked in with Eli, I can meet you at the PD.” 

“Sounds like a plan, Chief, but if you don’t mind, I’d rather we stayed together, OK? I don’t trust those bastard newshounds not to try to track you down so they can ambush you. I’d feel better, babe,” he added, offering Ben his most appealing look. And of course, Ben couldn’t resist that, and even giggled as his lover batted his eyelashes at him. It was what he’d much prefer after all, and Jim’s words and actions not only spoke of his care for his guide, but succeeded in cheering him up also, which was the desired effect.   


\------------------------  


**Later, MCU bullpen:**  


Ben gazed around him, slightly misty-eyed, but smiling widely at the almost overwhelming welcome he and Jim had received on entering the bullpen. Indeed, he had been surprised and pleased at the number of people who had stopped to offer their condolences on the pair’s short trip up from the parking garage to Major Crimes. Considering he’d only been working with Jim for a matter of a few months, he was genuinely amazed at the favourable impact he had apparently already made with so many, from admin staff up to cops in other departments as well as Major Crimes. 

H, Rafe and Joel had already gathered around to offer their comfort and support, quickly followed by other detectives present, and some of the uniforms too. Rhonda, Simon’s much-prized secretary, had hugged him and kissed his cheek, and the commiserating back slaps and handshakes he had received left him almost speechless in gratitude. However, he was rescued from making a fool of himself by the summons issuing from Simon’s office, albeit in a much more restrained manner than usual. 

Exchanging wry grins as the group dispersed to continue their work, Jim and Ben headed for Simon’s office, closing the door behind them before taking the seats the captain indicated. 

Once again Simon offered them coffee, thinking that both men could do with a decent shot of caffeine. While he was preparing it, he studied Ben as surreptitiously as possible, concerned at the pale and drawn young face even though the kid was trying so hard for cool and collected. And as for Jim, his detective was plainly in ultra-protective alert mode, although he was making a fair attempt at studied calm. 

“Here you go, guys. Get that down you!” Simon said with somewhat forced joviality. “You both look like you need it. 

“So, Ben how are you holding up? I’m really sorry about today’s dive into media muck-raking. Have you any idea who it was spilling the beans this time?” 

Ben shook his head sadly. “No, Captain, not this time. It would serve no purpose for my brother to have done it, so all I –we- can assume is that there’s some sleazy source out there who’s willing to make a fast buck out of selling info like that. I can’t believe that it’s one of Grandfather’s people – they’re too loyal for that. And I can’t see anyone at the lawyer’s offices doing it either.” 

Jim nodded in agreement. “That’s true, Chief. It wouldn’t be worth the risk of being found out and damaging their good reputation. For all we know, there could even be some mean-minded creep out there using a directional mic on the off-chance of picking up some juicy titbit of gossip. And I confess to being too wrapped up in looking out for Ben to have been scanning for anything like that,” he added rather guiltily. 

And Simon just had to chuckle when Ben leaned over and thumped Jim on the arm, a frown between his brows as he growled, “And you can stop with the guilt thing, Jim! You’re a sentinel, not Superman, and you can’t be expected to hear every little thing, especially when your senses are all concentrated on me!” 

Jim had the grace to look a little sheepish as he grinned at his guide. “I hear and obey, Master!” he laughed, glad when Ben joined in with his attempt at levity. 

“I’m glad you’ve cleared that up,” Simon snickered before continuing. “Anyway, once you guys have stopped bickering, can you tell me how you got on at Rainier this morning, Ben? I hope your meeting with Dr Stoddard was satisfactory?” 

Ben’s smile was much more genuine this time as he considered his reply. It had indeed gone better than he had expected, although not because he doubted Eli’s goodwill towards him, and towards Jim also, for that matter. It was just that he hadn’t known what to expect when he appeared on campus again, and had consequently been nervous of his reception. But as it happened, he needn’t have worried unnecessarily. Yes, there were a good few sideways glances and speculative looks, but in general the popular young professor had been greeted with nothing but sincere condolences, and genuine hopes that he would be returning to his teaching sooner rather than later. 

As for Eli, his old friend had welcomed him with literally open arms, glad to see both his favourite assistant and said assistant’s sentinel at least coping with the situation. 

He had gone on to say that, although it was still obviously too soon to make a firm offer, he was quietly certain that Ben would be welcomed back to the University to teach on an _ad hoc_ basis. The Dean was all for it, and once she knew about the possibility of financial benefit to the institution, Eli had reported that the Chancellor, Marie Edwards was in agreement also. They had shared a chuckle at the thought of the likely gleam of avarice in the woman’s eye, because it was a well-known fact that in her opinion, anything that swelled the university’s coffers far outweighed any other consideration, moral or ethical. 

Shaking himself out of his brief reverie, Ben smiled at Simon, saying, “Yes, Captain, it went just fine. I’m happy to say that it looks as if I will be able to continue to teach there part-time, but of course I’ll have to give up my present position, because obviously I can no longer go on extended expeditions. But honestly, that doesn’t bother me as much as some people think it should. I have everything I want here in Cascade,” and he reached over to pat Jim’s knee, his grin now positively wicked. 

“Humff…well, that’s good to know,” Simon huffed in reply, trying not to react to the speaking glances passing between his two men. He was happy to pass it off as ‘sentinel and guide voodoo shit’, and that was all he needed to know. 

“So, I wanted to tell you that it’s looking promising from this end too,” he continued, happy to redirect their attention to matters in hand. 

“As I suspected, both the Chief of Police and the Commissioner were on board with the notion of keeping their best performing team together. It’s quite a feather in Cascade PD’s cap to have an alpha sentinel and guide partnership working for them, so they were hardly going to throw your proposition out without a second thought. And I’m happy to say that they really went with the idea of you being an official consultant too. So, all this present unpleasantness notwithstanding, I truly hope that you’ll both think that the future is promising.” 

Both Ben and Jim smiled widely at that, the imaginary clouds hanging over Ben almost visibly dispersing. “That’s so good to know, Captain, and I’m so grateful for your backing in all this. And I promise that I’ll do my utmost to make certain that you never regret your decision. 

“Once my father’s funeral is over and the inquiry is done – whatever the outcome – I know I’ll be able to look forward with Jim’s help, and finally be what I believe I was meant to be. 

“There’s only one other thing that I’d wish for, and that would be to find my real mom. Now, that would top off my wish list!” 

Simon frowned a little at that, not certain he knew where the young man was coming from. 

“I guess I can understand that, to a certain extent, but if it’s not too personal, could you explain why it’s so important to you?” He genuinely wasn’t trying to pry for his own gratification, but he was fond of the young man, and wanted to know that he truly was as together as he appeared. 

Ben regarded him for a moment, head tilted to one side as he considered his reply. “No, it’s not too personal, Captain. It’s just that, I have to wonder what I would have been if I hadn’t been abducted by my father and his family. As Jim will no doubt tell you, I never really fitted in with the rest of the Francis family’s lifestyle. Too weird and self-willed, they’d no doubt tell you. 

“But the thing is, I feel that if I’d have grown up as ‘Blair Sandburg’ rather than Benjamin Francis II I would have had a whole different attitude towards life. According to what my Mo – uh…Suzanne Francis said, my real mom was a hippy, hence the gender-neutral name, I suppose. And she probably never knew who fathered me. But I don’t hold that against her, honestly. She must have had her reasons for running away in the first place, don’t you think? So although I’m pretty certain I would still have ended up as an anthropologist, my outlook on life might well have been very different! Hell, I’d probably be some sort of hippy throwback!” and he snickered at his own imaginary self-image. 

Jim took up the thread, wanting to put his own ideas forward and reassure his guide at the same time. “And what would be wrong with that, Chief? Heck, I saw the pictures of you as a grad student at that dig in Mexico. You had long hair then, didn’t you? So I could have still ended up with my very own ‘neo-hippy witchdoctor punk’ anyway, if destiny really had anything to do with our meeting. And I wouldn’t have been complaining at that, either!” 

Ben beamed at him at that. “That’s good of you to say, Jim. But sadly, I may never get to know my real mom, although I’m not going to give up looking for her!” 

Little did he know that for once, the tabloid gutter press had actually done him a favour, and his wish was very close to being granted.   



	12. Part 12: Reunions

**Part 12: Reunions:**  


Thursday morning found the pair back at the PD, having decided that they had had enough of hiding away, even though they had undoubtedly been enjoying each other’s undivided attention. It was simply that Ben knew that Jim needed to get back to work – it was in the sentinel’s nature, after all, however much he was hard-wired to protect his guide – and Ben didn’t want to be the reason behind Jim not being able to do his job. And he too was fed up with his own anxiety about facing public reaction, realising that as long as he had Jim beside him, nothing could be so very bad. He had never been one to hide away from reality before, and he wasn’t going to start now. 

That being said, Jim had no intention of going out in the field unless it was unavoidable, but there was plenty of paperwork piling up on his desk, and he knew that Ben would be happy to help him with it. It was just the sort of mind-numbing task to distract the young man from his troubled thoughts, and it wouldn’t hurt to be surrounded by colleagues and friends who cared about him too. 

This time their reception in the bullpen was more muted, as if their friends seemed to realise that Ben needed quiet understanding rather than being overwhelmed again, even with the best of intentions, and Ben was truly grateful for their consideration. They soon settled down to work, Ben ploughing through the reports with speed and efficiency while Jim did some checking down in Records and followed up on a few leads over the phone. It was a dull but much-needed routine that worked wonders for Ben’s peace of mind, and by the time they were ready for home he was much calmer in himself. 

Yes, he knew that he would be anything but calm and relaxed the following day at Daniel’s funeral, but for now he was able to push that apprehension to the back of his mind, concentrating instead on the mundane; like what to prepare for dinner; and the far-from-mundane, as in looking forward to an evening and night spent in Jim’s arms. 

What he had no way of knowing was that Naomi and Mia were having their own busy day. Naomi hadn’t wanted to waste any more time in seeing her son, so she and Mia had caught the first flight out that morning from San Fran to Cascade, knowing that even allowing for check-in times it would be far quicker and less stressful than a long road trip. They had booked a room at a cheap hotel near the airport, and intended to hire a car to begin their search to locate Blair / Ben, hoping to be able to arrange a meeting either for that evening, or at least within the next day or so. 

Neither woman dared consider what they would do if Blair / Ben refused to see them. Better to cross that bridge when they came to it. 

Using the information on her laptop, and checking with Directory Enquiries, she and Mia decided that their first step should be to visit Rainier’s campus and the Anthropology Department. 

Making sure that their hire car had GPS, they had set out immediately after they had checked in to their hotel room, just long enough to deposit their luggage, both women understandably nervous, but determined nonetheless. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, when Naomi approached the pleasant middle-aged administrator holding court in the Anthropology Department Reception, she was informed that Dr Francis wasn’t expected back until next week after his father’s funeral had taken place the following day. The woman, Janice, was a kindly soul with a huge soft spot for Ben, so even though she was far too professional to give out any more personal information as regards Ben’s home address and private telephone numbers, she was prepared to offer some advice, satisfied with the authenticity of Naomi’s claim and identity. She told Naomi that Ben also worked on occasion with a detective from Cascade PD’s Major Crimes unit, so could perhaps be located through them. It was the best she could do under the circumstances, hoping that even that snippet of information wasn’t too much to divulge. 

Having returned to their car, Naomi and Mia considered their next steps. In all honesty, although she was somewhat disappointed, Naomi hadn’t really expected to find her son back at work yet, but she was somewhat reluctant to contact the PD. She had no love for the police, having had run-ins with the ‘pigs’ in her politically-active past, but it had to be done. 

And she got lucky, in that the helpful young female junior administrator she was put through to was so new to her job that she was happy to provide both the name of the detective Ben rode with, and the man’s address. 

It was as good a place to start as any, even though the prospect was rather daunting, but they were prepared to at least try. 

However, seeing as the cop – a Detective Jim Ellison – would probably still be at work, they decided to go back to the hotel for a while, rest up a little and then find somewhere to get something to eat before taking the plunge and calling in at his home address. 

And pray that he took them seriously enough to provide them with more information. Because if that turned out to be a dead end, then the other option was to contact the Francis family directly at their home, and frankly, neither woman relished that idea, especially with the funeral looming.  


\-------------------------  


As luck would have it, after they had finished for the day, Ben and Jim decided to return to the loft rather than Ben’s apartment. It was mainly because Ben didn’t want to risk being followed again by any reporters who might be hanging out in his neighbourhood, hoping for a few candid shots as he set out for the funeral home and church in the morning. Yes, there was always the possibility that they might be lurking around Prospect also, but he trusted Jim to hear anything untoward so they could avoid a potential ambush. Ben had made certain that he already had suitable clothes at Jim’s place so that there was no need to return to his own apartment until after the funeral was over and done with. 

It was after dinner and they were cuddled together on the sofa, lazily making out and half-watching a Jags replay on the TV when Jim suddenly lifted his head from where it had been nuzzling at the deliciously-scented spot behind his guide’s ear. “I think we’re about to have company, Chief,” he murmured. “There are two people approaching, both women, and one of them smells familiar. I can’t quite place it, but there’s something about it…” and he tailed off in perplexity as Ben regarded him worriedly. 

Sitting up and automatically straightening their clothing, Jim looked over at his lover, quickly scanning the young man to make sure he was OK before glancing warily towards the door. Whereas he was tempted to throw it open before their visitors could knock, this time he was prepared to wait until he was certain that there was no threat to his guide. They could be reporters after all, and he had no intention of letting such people into his apartment. 

Moving towards the door, his service pistol in his hand and Ben hovering at his back, Jim was ready to open the door as soon as the knock came, but left the chain in place. Peering out, he swiftly scanned the two women, thoroughly cataloguing their appearance as only a sentinel can. 

The woman who stood slightly in front was a very pretty, slender redhead, aged around her early to mid-forties in Jim’s estimation, but with an air of youthfulness and charm about her. Her smile was warm, but there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes as she gazed steadily up at him through the small gap in the doorway. Her companion was a pretty brunette, slightly plump and around about the same age, with warm brown eyes and a slightly more reserved smile. 

“Can I help you..?” Jim began, only to pause in consternation at the astonished gasp from behind him as Ben pushed forward, trying to get a better view from around his lover’s bulk. “Chief? What..?” 

But Ben wasn’t listening. He didn’t know how he knew, but there was something about this woman. Something he instinctively recognised as both familiar and safe. And when her eyes locked on his, her whole demeanour changed as her face lit up in joyful recognition. 

“Oh goddess!” she breathed. “Blair! Is it really you?” 

Ben wasn’t quite sure how to respond, peripherally aware that Jim was staring at them both in bemusement and not a little suspicion. “Uh, yes, I suppose I am,” he murmured. “That is, I gather that I was supposed to be?” He realised that it sounded ridiculous even to his own ears, but the woman didn’t seem to care. Her smile just widened even more as she held out her hand, trying to reach Ben’s through the gap as she said, “Oh, Blair! Sweetie! At last! I’m Naomi. Naomi Sandburg. Your mom!” 

Surreptitiously slipping his handgun down the back of his pants, Jim released the chain on the door to allow the two women entry. He knew that Naomi’s claim was authentic, because now he could discern the marked similarity in hers and Ben’s personal scents which was proof enough for the sentinel to accept their close blood relationship. He wasn’t yet ready to stand down, however, until he was sure of her reasons for arriving unannounced at his door like this. 

Once inside, Naomi glanced quickly around before her eyes settled on Ben again, the hunger in her gaze clear to see. “May I?” she asked a little nervously, holding out her hands to him again. 

And what else was Ben to do but step forward and take her hands in his, his expression a mix of hope, amazement, joy and a touch of anxiety. She was slightly taller than him, but he felt the connection between them as he read the love in her eyes. Swallowing hard, he murmured, “I’m so pleased to meet you, ah, Naomi. And I’m so sorry that I didn’t know about you until just a few days ago. Uh, how did you find me?” 

At that point Jim decided it was time he had his say, as he looked from one to the other of the two women and back to Ben / Blair. “Yeah, I’d like to know that too,” he said somewhat acerbically, ignoring the brief frown Ben sent him. 

But apparently Naomi wasn’t offended, or at least didn’t seem to be at his blunt approach. Instead she beamed at them both as she said, “It was karma, Sweetie, I’m certain of it! My partner Mia and I have wondered for all these years what had happened to you, hoping that some day I would find you, and then a friend in Cascade sent me a link to a newspaper article, and it was about you, Blair. I mean, Ben. And I knew it was you, because it mentioned my name in connection with you too. 

“It was a horrid piece, baby, and I’m so sorry if it’s hurt you, but it led me and Mia to you, so I can’t be sorry about that!” 

And Ben just had to agree with her. 

Deciding abruptly that the two women at least posed no physical threat to his guide that he couldn’t deal with, Jim stood down from ‘sentinel protector’ mode and assumed his more affable and polite persona. 

“Why don’t you ladies take a seat and make yourselves comfortable?” he said, offering them the sort of smile that normally had females – and certain males of the species – melting in their boots. 

“Look, Chief, I’m going to get some coffee on, or whatever our guests would prefer, OK? Ladies?” 

Naomi smiled at him then, her eyes appreciative as she said, “Do you have any teas, by any chance, Detective Ellison? It _is_ Detective Ellison, isn’t it?” 

Even as Ben blushed at the unintentional omission, Jim answered easily, “Yes, it is, Ms Sandburg. And I’m very pleased to meet you. And your friend?” and he turned to smile at Mia, who grinned happily in response. 

Taking his lead, Naomi smiled warmly as she did the formal introductions. “Detective Ellison, may I introduce the love of my life, Mia Sondheim,” and as Mia held out her hand to Jim, he smiled gently into her knowing brown eyes. 

“Very pleased to meet you, Mia. And please call me Jim.” 

She shook his hand firmly, plainly assured of his good intentions. “And I’m very pleased to meet you also, Jim. And I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am to see Blair – er, Ben. You see, I’ve never forgiven myself for his disappearance…” but she tailed off when Naomi reached over to grasp her hand, her smile understanding but pleading. 

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, honey. I think we all have a lot of catching up to do, and if it’s OK with you, I think perhaps it would be easier for Blair – and Jim – to grasp if I went right back to the beginning. 

“If that’s what you want?” she added a trifle uncertainly, turning to face the two men. 

Ben nodded quickly then. “Oh, yes, Naomi – um, mom. Please tell us everything. I want to know everything, truly. I can’t believe how great it is that you tracked me down. I was set to do a search for you, honestly, and I can’t believe my luck that you got to me first! There really is something to be said about silver linings!” 

And as Jim repaired to the kitchen to prepare assorted beverages for their guests, his smile was a little sad and introspective as he listened in to the ensuing conversation.  


\-------------------------  


Over the next hour or so, Naomi briefly outlined her early life and her reasons for leaving her family home. She covered the evening of Ben’s conception matter-of-factly, making no excuses, but not angling for sympathy either. And she made it very plain that the kidnapping of her baby had had a devastating effect on her. Having said that, she also made it plain that there was no way Mia could be blamed, even if the lady in question still had difficulty in accepting the fact. Naomi blamed her own youthful naivety in listening to her adoptive extended ‘family’ for not contacting the proper authorities, and the traces of remembered guilt and distress were clear to see in her momentarily introverted gaze. 

Shaking herself out of her brief funk, she quickly summarised her life since then, perfectly in tune with her choices, especially when it came to her realisation of her love for Mia. 

And as she clasped Mia’s hand in one of hers, and Ben / Blair’s in the other, she stated with absolutely no hint of duplicity or synthetic emotion that she was the happiest and most contented woman alive. 

And from where he was studying the tableau from the opposite sofa, Jim had no trouble at all in believing her. 

Although initially somewhat more reticent about describing his own childhood and life up until this point, Ben was gradually encouraged to do so under his mother’s gentle but persuasive questioning. And once Jim had moved over to join him on the sofa, it became much easier to expand upon his life choices. 

He acknowledged that he had had a more than materially privileged upbringing, but he didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was considered to be some sort of rebel in his inability to completely ‘fit in’ with his family’s expectations. Although he was still somewhat ashamed of his behaviour, he inwardly admitted to a small feeling of gleeful satisfaction when his mom – Naomi – gripped his knee and sent him a wicked and appreciative grin. Although she didn’t utter a word, he could tell she was thinking _That’s my boy!_ and he had to chuckle internally at that. 

It was when he arrived at the point of explaining why he wanted to take the guide gene test that she became grimly thoughtful again. 

Looking him steadily in the eye, she said, “You know, Sweetie - with absolutely no disrespect intended to Jim here – I’ve never really seen eye to eye with the police. Call it the influence of the hippy culture I embraced from my teens, if you like. But it is what it is, and I hope I’ve grown up enough by now to accept your life choices too. You see, baby, it doesn’t really surprise me that a man like your detective could be a sentinel too. And I have to say that, although I’ve never really thought about it in any serious context, I did know about the guide gene in my family. Personally, I put it aside like I put aside any thought of being tied to a man of my parents’ choosing, but I guess it was always there in the background. Your maternal great-grandfather was a guide, but he lost his sentinel in the Great War, and never truly recovered, even though he married and had children. So you are carrying on a Sandburg family tradition, Sweetie!” 

Ben smiled widely at that, vastly relieved that his real mom didn’t judge him for his choice of partner. “Thank you, Naomi –mom – for your understanding. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you accept Jim as my love and my sentinel. And I can’t tell you how glad I am that you and Mia have found each other also. 

“But much as I’ve truly enjoyed our talk, I admit that I can barely keep my eyes open! Can we adjourn and carry on tomorrow, after the funeral?” and he looked appealingly from Naomi to Jim and back. 

Jim immediately took the hint, and willingly offered his spare room to the two ladies. “Ben’s right, Naomi, Mia. It’s nearly midnight, and unfortunately we have to go to Daniel’s funeral tomorrow. But you’re more than welcome to stay here rather than drive back at this hour. I think we’d both feel happier if you did,” he added, squeezing Ben’s shoulders gently beneath his arm. 

Looking over at Mia first to make sure of her acceptance, Naomi turned back to face him, a warm smile on her face. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Jim, and we’ll be happy to take you up on your kind offer. 

“But do you think it would be too inconsiderate if we attended the funeral also? We’ll be discreet, I promise, but I feel as if it’s something I should do. To pay my respects to the man who gifted me with Blair – Ben!” 

Ben smiled sadly at her, knowing that she was completely sincere. “As far as I’m concerned, I have no problem with that, Naomi. I’m only worried that it might be uncomfortable for you, if, say, the press cotton on to the fact that you’re there. I’d hate for them to make copy out of it, for your sake.” And what he didn’t add was his concern about what might transpire if his family realised it also. It was going to be a fraught enough affair without any extra fuel for dissent. 

However, his mom was plainly made of sterner stuff, and she patted his arm gently as she said, “That’s fine, Sweetie. Don’t trouble yourself on our behalf. We can take care of ourselves, baby. Just you look after yourself, OK? Although I figure that with someone like your Jim in your corner, I’d like to see anyone try anything!” and she grinned wickedly at them both. 

Somewhat reassured, Ben nodded his assent, and then Jim showed her and Mia the already made up bedroom and bathroom. Kissing each lady’s cheek affectionately and offering them both a hug, Ben wished them a sincere good night and retired upstairs, desperately needing his sentinel’s arms around him to hold him together as he sought to come to terms with the evening’s revelations. It was going to be another long night.  



	13. Part 13: Confrontations and Resolutions

**Part 13: Confrontations and Resolutions:**  


Jim and Ben woke to a Friday morning which was overcast and miserable, a damp, drizzly rain depressingly suited to a funeral. Ben had spent a restless night, trying hard not to toss and turn and annoy Jim any more than he could help, but grateful in the extreme as his long-suffering sentinel soothed him time and time again with gentle touches and soft words. Unfortunately they had decided to refrain from sexual activity in deference to the women sleeping in the small bedroom below. Not that Jim was particularly concerned for himself, only insofar as he was worried about his lover’s state of mind and wanted to help as much as he could, and the best way of doing that was by making gentle love to him. It was hardly surprising that there was such a lot on Ben’s mind, since he had suddenly been presented with a whole new familial relationship, which just had to be stirring up strong emotions of excitement, joy and no little anxiety. And to counterbalance that, there was the equally upsetting prospect of the upcoming funeral, only in that case, the emotions were almost entirely negative. 

Nevertheless, his lover made a courageous attempt to be upbeat and cheerful when he went downstairs to greet his mom and Mia, even if it was fairly obvious that the two empathic women weren’t fooled at all. They both hugged him affectionately, and offered Jim a kiss on the cheek also, thanking him again for his hospitality and thoughtfulness. 

“We’ll be off now, Sweetie,” Naomi said, her cool hand cupping Ben’s cheek. “I know it’s early, but we have to get back to the hotel and change into something more appropriate. And to pack and check out also!” she added with a warm smile. “Thank you so much for the offer of letting us stay in your apartment for a few days, baby. We so appreciate it, and it’ll mean we’re closer to you so we can meet up more easily over the weekend. 

“But first I know that we have to get today over with, and it’s not going to be easy for you. We won’t come to the funeral home, Sweetie, because that might be a little contentious, so we’ll see you later in the church. I’m sure we can slip in unnoticed.” 

Ben offered her a somewhat watery smile, appreciating her consideration. “Thanks, Naomi. Ah, mom. You’re very welcome to stay at my place, and thanks for your understanding too. I’ll just go fetch the keys. I…uh…wrote the code for entering the building on a sticker and stuck it to the back of the fob,” he added, glancing sheepishly over at Jim, who was frowning in exasperation at what he perceived as his guide’s naïve foolishness. 

Grinning at the brief exchange, Naomi laughed, “Don’t worry, Jim. I promise not to lose the keys or the entry code. I’ll guard them with my life!” 

Her cheerful remark was enough to make Jim grin in response, even if it was a little wry. “Fair enough, Naomi. But I’ll hold you to that! But seriously, we’ll see you later at the church, OK? You have the directions?” 

“I do, Jim. Or at least, Mia does, as she’s the responsible one of us,” and she smiled warmly over at her smiling partner. “Goodbye for now, boys, and see you later!” and with that she and Mia followed Jim to the door, smiling up at him as he courteously held it open for them. 

Sending out his hearing so he could track their progress out of the building to their car, he only returned to take Ben into his arms once he was sure they’d driven off safely. 

“You OK, babe?” he asked as he nuzzled his face against Ben’s elegant neck. “We have an hour or more until we have to leave for the funeral home, so do you want to go back to bed for a while?” 

Ben knew exactly what he meant, and nodded eagerly. “Yes, Jim. Yes, please. Make me forget everything for a little while, please?” 

And smiling gently, Jim took his hand and led him back upstairs, only too willing to make good on his offer.  


\-----------------------  


At just after 11.00 a.m., Jim and Ben entered the funeral home together, having arrived this time in Ben’s black hybrid SUV rather than Jim’s truck as a mark of respect for the location and the circumstances. The parlour was an expensive but decorous establishment favoured by Cascade’s social elite, and the soft music playing in the background was deliberately soothing and unobtrusive. Although of course there was no viewing as it was necessarily a closed casket affair, Daniel’s ornate casket was surrounded by a vast array of flowers and garlands, and a framed formal portrait of the deceased was placed on top. 

Soberly dressed attendants stood discreetly around, offering drinks and canapés, while new arrivals were greeted by the establishment’s owner/manager. 

As soon as Jim and Ben had arrived, they had been greeted with appropriate respect, and had been directed immediately to the main room where the family were gathered, receiving the polite and sometimes genuinely sincere condolences of the sizable number of the ‘Great and Good’ already present. The tremors Jim could easily feel through his palm, which was resting in its accustomed position at the small of his guide’s back, were testament to the young man’s rigidly-controlled distress, and as soon as his family members became aware of his presence, those tremors increased noticeably. 

Ben Sr. looked serious and dignified as he nodded to the pair in greeting, but even from across the room, both Ben and Jim could discern the pain in his eyes. He was standing proudly at the head of his family, although there was a chair discreetly placed for his use if he got too fatigued. 

Next to him stood Suzanne, dry-eyed and elegant in her widow’s weeds, her expression one of assumed and genteel grief behind her black lace veil, although her eyes were cold and distant. Until they landed on Ben and Jim, that was, and then they sparked briefly with dislike and disdain before she regained her neutral indifference. 

Beside her, Blake looked immaculate in his black suit, and he was making a serious effort to look suitably grief-stricken, but it was ultimately unconvincing as far as Jim and Ben were concerned, and undoubtedly for Grandfather also. And when he saw Ben and Jim approach, his glare was positively venomous until he got himself under control again. 

Reaching his grandfather first, Ben took the old man’s hand in both of his, the deep sorrow and concern in his wide blue eyes as much for his Grandfather as for himself. “Are you OK, Grandfather?” he asked quietly, as he studied the old man’s face intently. “How are you holding up? Can I do anything for you?” 

Although only slight, the smile he received in return was genuinely appreciative and even fond as the old man replied, “Thank you, Ben. I’m doing well enough, son. And you’re doing enough for me by just being here. As are you, Jim.” 

Jim nodded soberly and offered his own condolences, and after a moment, Ben smiled softly before moving on, his real affection for his grandparent evident in his gaze. 

However, when he moved to offer Suzanne a polite greeting, his face was as set as its normal animation allowed. Only his eyes betrayed his pain and hurt as she barely touched his outstretched hand, turning her face away before his customary kiss could make contact with her cheek. She had nothing to say to him, so Ben moved on without another word. 

On the other hand, although Jim murmured the expected words that he was sorry for her loss, the coldness in his eyes caused her to gasp slightly in consternation as she withdrew her hand from his as swiftly as possible. 

Face to face with Blake, Ben didn’t even try to offer his condolences. His half-brother had made it very plain where Ben stood in his opinion, and the fact that Ben had turned down the greater part of his bequest mattered not one iota to the younger man. He still stood to lose, simply because Grandfather had turned against both him and his mother, and he blamed it squarely on Ben. No matter that it was his doing that had blown everything out of all proportion with that newspaper article. If Ben hadn’t been so obviously favoured in the first place, he wouldn’t have had to resort to such underhand tricks to gain his revenge. And now it had backfired on him, and his sulky petulance added to his hatred and jealousy made a toxic mix that Ben was never going to appease. 

Nevertheless, Ben met Blake’s baleful stare steadily, simply nodding as he murmured, “Good luck, Blake. Take care, man,” before turning his back on his scowling sibling, sorrowfully aware that they weren’t going to bridge the chasm between them any time soon, if ever. 

As for Jim, the deadly glare he fixed on Blake was enough to make the young man take half a step backwards in trepidation as he blushed in guilty shame. No words were exchanged, but the message was clear. _Don’t mess with Ben unless you want to deal with me too. And I don’t take prisoners!_

But this was neither the time nor place for a heated confrontation, so Jim moved off after Ben, resuming his protective position at his lover’s side while he murmured worriedly, “You OK, babe? Do you want to go outside for a few? Take a moment to ourselves?” 

Ben looked up at him, his eyes sad even as he smiled softly. “I’ll be OK, Jim, honestly. It was no worse than I expected, I guess, and at least we’re here for Grandfather, and I can’t be sorry about that.” 

Shaking his head fondly at yet another instance of his guide’s forbearance and forgiving nature, Jim replied, “Fair enough, Chief. You’re a better man than I am, for sure,” and he gave Ben’s shoulder a quick comforting squeeze. 

“So, now I guess we should circulate a bit, huh? But if it gets too much, just say the word and we’ll get out of here, OK?” 

And Ben smiled up at him, his eyes telegraphing his gratitude before he visibly straightened up and set himself to do his expected duty.  


\---------------------  


**Later, at St Mary’s Church, Cascade Heights:**  


Jim and Ben stood together near the main doors of the Francis’ local church, awaiting the arrival of the cortège bearing Daniel’s casket to the church for the funeral service. As they had expected, it was a grand affair, Grandfather having spared no expense to make certain that his son got a send-off appropriate for his station. The congregation was large, swelled by contingents from Rainier University as well as representing Cascade PD, plainly there to offer their support for a popular young professor and partner to their resident alpha sentinel. Ben was deeply touched at their presence, finding it hard to hold back his tears as he thanked them all sincerely. It was quite clear that his family were taken aback at the show of support, and although Ben Sr. nodded in approval, Suzanne and Blake were hard put not to sneer in disdain; no doubt inwardly jealous of the attention accorded to their ‘misfit’. 

On the other hand, there were many of the Francis family’s business and social acquaintances there also, as well as the Mayor and other members of City Hall, although Jim was cynically certain that for some it was for appearances rather than genuine sympathy; hoping to figure favourably in the society gossip columns. 

And it was also very likely that there were more than a few hoping to witness the fallout following the Cascade Herald’s exposé and follow-up piece. 

However, neither Jim nor Ben had any intention of letting that happen if they could possibly avoid it, for Ben Sr.’s sake as much as young Ben’s, so they took pains to stand far enough back from the rest of the family to remain out of the line of sight while allowing Ben to do his duty receiving the attendees’ condolences. 

He glanced up enquiringly at Jim when the bigger man nudged him surreptitiously, the sentinel having spotted Naomi and Mia right at the back of the crowd waiting to enter the church. The pair were plainly doing their best to remain unobtrusive, and although he was so pleased to see them, Ben was also grateful for their sensitivity and consideration. He truly didn’t want there to be any sort of scene between his newly-discovered mom and his adoptive one, because he was ruefully aware of whose side he would come down on, even after just a few short hours of meeting her. 

Eventually everyone was seated, and the service began, although afterwards Ben admitted that much of it had gone right over his head. As soon as he had taken his seat between Grandfather on one side, and Jim on the other, he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the casket before him. It hit him all of a sudden that that was his father lying there, or what was left of him, and he couldn’t for the life of him remember if he had ever said goodbye. Instead, he was shockingly aware that the last time he had seen him was at the birthday celebration, and their parting had been less than cordial, Ben wanting to make his escape with Jim as soon as he could. 

The guilt hit him like the proverbial ton of bricks, and the only thing that kept him from crying out loud in anguish was the powerful but protective arm that Jim wrapped securely around his shoulders, almost literally holding him together when all he wanted to do was fly apart, torn by grief and self-recrimination. 

Once the service concluded, Ben was still too shaken to realise that Naomi and Mia had slipped out almost unnoticed ahead of the rest of the congregation. However, with Jim’s whispered support, he was able to pull himself together enough to face the final act of the awful drama – the brief but poignant graveside prayers and final farewell. 

As with the other parts of the formal funerary ritual, Jim and Ben had chosen to use their own transport rather than face the stony animosity of the family’s hired luxury limousines. By this point, however, Ben had willingly handed over the responsibility of driving to Jim. Therefore, when they arrived at the cemetery, and were making their way towards the family plot where Daniel Francis would be laid to rest, Ben was in no condition to note what had attracted his lover’s attention. 

As for Jim, even as he carefully supported his lover, guiding him along the neatly kept pathways towards their intended destination, he noted an unexpected altercation going on behind one of the statuesque monuments to one side of their path. Immediately opening up his senses, and on the alert for trouble, he realised that it was Blake arguing furiously with a weasel-faced individual, whose smug and arrogant expression suggested that he was less than impressed by the young man’s impotent threats. 

Jim soon realised that Blake was remonstrating angrily with the man about betraying his confidence, but was being met with calm denial. It didn’t take long before Jim ascertained that the man –a free-lance photo-journalist and reporter – was the same one Blake had contacted with the information about Ben’s parentage, hoping to shame and implicate his half-brother in the death of their father. 

However, it also became clear that the reporter hadn’t stopped there; scenting more sensational gossip despite Blake’s opposition. With the aid of advanced stalking techniques, he had remorselessly followed Ben and Jim, tracking them to the lawyer’s offices where he could listen in to the confidential conversations taking place within. 

Now convinced of the source of the leaked information leading to the sensationalist headlines, for Ben’s sake Jim ruthlessly controlled his immediate urge to rip the pair of them another one in disgust and retribution. Vengeance could wait until this whole distressing affair was done. 

But then let them watch out. The primal sentinel would have his revenge.  


\---------------------  


Using a combination of his own inner fortitude and an unquestioning belief in his sentinel’s protective backup, Ben managed to get through the final act with commendable aplomb. Despite howling inside with grief and guilt, he was able to approach the graveside in his turn and throw a handful of dirt onto the lowered casket. _Goodbye, Father. Forgive me for not being the son you wanted, but thank you for fathering me anyway. I wish you could have known my real mother, Dad. I think you’d have really liked her. Just like I do._

Duty done, he turned aside, and this time had no trouble burying his face against Jim’s broad chest as the powerful arms came up to hold and comfort him, a sturdy bulwark against the raging grief that threatened to consume him. 

It wasn’t until the remaining mourners had dispersed, and his family were preparing to leave that he became aware of the extra tension in the air as Jim growled threateningly deep in his chest. 

Waiting quietly on the periphery of the final act with Mia at her side, Naomi had watched her son with a concerned eye, as indeed she had done throughout the long-drawn-out ceremony, desperately wishing that she could approach him and take him into her own arms. Oh yes, she could easily see that Jim was doing a sterling job in protecting and comforting his guide and lover, but Naomi’s maternal instincts had re-emerged with a vengeance, and the strength of her long-suppressed desire to hold her son had taken her by surprise. 

In retrospect therefore, what occurred then was hardly surprising, given the fraught nature of the occasion. 

Seeing her father-in-law moving away from the graveside, accompanied by the priest who had conducted the service, Suzanne judged it to be an opportune moment to have her say. With her sneering and vindictive son at her shoulder, she approached the pair, her disgust clear to see as she spat out her vitriolic accusations. However, even before Jim could react, hampered as he was with his armful of hurting guide, a furious and single-minded redhead arrived on the scene, interposing herself between Suzanne and her son. Yet despite her ire and contempt, Naomi conducted herself with impressive control and decorum, not wishing to appear as some foul-mouthed fishwife or ill-mannered harpy. 

“Allow me to introduce myself,” she hissed, her hard stare boring into Suzanne’s shocked and disbelieving eyes. “My name is Naomi Sandburg, and that is my son who you are denigrating. I suggest that you leave now, before I say something I will regret later!” 

Thoroughly shaken by the strange woman’s unexpectedly dignified behaviour in the face of everything that Suzanne had believed about the perceived ‘hippy slut’, she backpedalled quickly, clutching the remnants of her own dignity about her even as she saw her father-in-law turn around and retrace his steps towards them, a frown of anger and consternation creasing his brow. 

“What have you done now, Suzanne?” he growled forbiddingly. “Haven’t you and your son done enough to hurt my family already? Why can’t you leave Ben be? He might not be yours, but he is my grandson, and your dead husband’s offspring, and he has never deserved your indifference! Get out of my sight, woman! We’ll talk later, when I am ready. I cannot believe that you’d disrespect your own husband’s funeral in this way!” 

With no ready answer, Suzanne drew herself up as best she could and stalked away, Blake scuttling behind her like a frightened child. 

As Ben turned in Jim’s arms, his face a mask of confusion, his grandfather approached Naomi. He studied her speculatively for a moment, clearly impressed by her steadfast regard, before holding out his hand to her. 

“Ms Sandburg. Believe it or not, I am very pleased to meet with you after all this time. My family did you great wrong, and I have no excuses. All I can and will say in my defence is that I, and my deceased son, have always tried to do our best by Ben. Maybe our best wasn’t good enough. I think that perhaps a higher court will judge that in due course, and might well find us wanting. 

“But I am truly sorry, madam, and hope that in time both you and Ben might find it in you to forgive us.” 

Naomi didn’t reply immediately, plainly considering his words. However, before the old man could get even more distressed by her silence, she nodded decisively, saying, “Mr Francis. Thank you for your apology, although in all honesty, I can’t say yet whether I can forgive or forget. What I can say is that, although my experience with your son was at best fleeting, I never regretted it, and never regretted bearing our child. 

“Yes, I was devastated by his theft, and that I don’t think I can ever truly forgive. But despite that, I have found my own path in life, and my love, and having now met my son after all this time, I am so proud of what he has become. What he has achieved in spite of all of us. 

“So, no. Just in case you were worried that I might be considering retrospective charges, I won’t. It would do Ben – my Blair – no good, and the last thing he deserves is more pain. So I wish you well, Mr Francis, and I am truly sorry for Daniel’s death. Take care now, and the goddess watch over you and yours.” 

Clearly beyond words, Ben Sr. merely nodded, taking Naomi’s hand in order to kiss the back of it in a courtly gesture before turning away again. 

And once he had left, accompanied by the comforting presence of the priest, Ben moved to embrace Naomi after exchanging a speaking glance with Jim. And a few seconds later, Mia and Jim joined in the reaffirming group hug, all four of them gathering strength and sharing comfort, certain now that the bond between them all was unbreakable and everlasting.   



	14. Part 14: Epilogue: A Time for Reflection

**Epilogue: A Time for Reflection:**  


**7 months later, San Francisco:**  


Seated on a bench in a pretty spot overlooking the bay, a relaxed and happy Jim watched the world go by. His senses basked in the presence of his beloved guide, who was stretched out beside him, head on Jim’s lap; dozy and almost purring in contentment at the touch of gentle sentinel fingers carding through his curls. Jim grinned fondly down as snuffles and twitches told him that his young lover had fallen asleep, trusting in his sentinel to watch over him and keep him safe. 

Returning his gaze to the beautiful view before him, Jim was more than happy to rest here a little longer, fully appreciating the chance to just simply ‘be’. It had been a hectic few months since Daniel Francis’ funeral, but much had been achieved, and overall it had to be said that both sentinel and guide were satisfied with their progress. Having said that, they had both decided that they needed a few days’ break to recharge their batteries, so to speak, and much to their hostess’ delight, had chosen to visit with Naomi and Mia in Haight-Ashbury. They had had a thoroughly enjoyable stay, delighting in the two women’s company and exploring the city and its sights either all together or just the two of them as now. It had been just what they needed, and another opportunity to develop their relationship with Naomi and Mia. Because ever since Naomi had come back into Ben’s life, with Jim’s blessing he had done his best to make up for lost time. 

Then again, because life had become so busy and complicated, most of their contact was limited to frequent phone calls and emails, although the two women had visited Cascade a couple of times, each time staying at Ben’s apartment, since he had now moved in permanently with Jim. 

And Jim was only too happy with that situation. Not only did he have his guide and lover all to himself, but Ben’s presence had turned the loft into the home it should always have been, and both men were more than happy with the arrangement. 

Glancing fondly down at his now gently snoring guide, Jim allowed his thoughts free rein as he pondered on all that had transpired over the intervening months since Daniel’s death and Ben’s discovery of his true parentage. His adored and adoring guide, whose full official title now was Dr Benjamin Blair Sandburg-Francis. 

Grinning to himself, Jim recalled Ben’s rather diffident explanation of why he had decided to change his name, although by the time Ben had finished, Jim was in complete agreement. Gazing into Jim’s eyes somewhat nervously, Ben had said that by combining his names past and present in such a way, he could better come to terms with his identity. It encompassed who he had been, who he might have been, and who he was now – a combination of circumstances which in Jim’s not-so-humble opinion - had created a singularly beautiful being. A being who was dedicated to Jim as both sentinel and lover, and Jim knew himself to be the luckiest man alive. 

And it had to be said that, when they heard about Ben’s decision, Naomi and Mia couldn’t have been happier, because they had always thought of him as Blair anyway, and he was perfectly happy for them to address him as such. 

As far as their own partnership was concerned, once the funeral was over, Ben had returned to the PD, only now in an official capacity as both guide to Sentinel Detective Ellison, and as a consultant anthropologist in his own right, and it had to be said that the move had been a resounding success. Ben had been able to build on the favourable impression he had already made in Major Crimes as Jim’s unofficial ride-along, and his own reputation as a consultant had grown by leaps and bounds, especially as he was now concentrating on Forensic Anthropology as a means to enhance his usefulness to Jim and the PD as a whole. 

He still taught on occasion at Rainier also, much to their friend Eli Stoddard’s satisfaction, and when Ben had created the Sandburg-Francis Perpetual Scholarship for Anthropology and Archaeology out of part of his inheritance money; aimed at allowing a talented but impecunious student to follow his or her dreams; the Powers That Be at the university couldn’t have been more pleased. 

There had been some less than pleasant aspects to deal with, however, perhaps the worst of which was Ben and the other Francis family members having to wait on tenterhooks until the outcome of the inquiry into the accident was finally released. After rigorous forensic testing, it appeared that the evidence from the wreckage which had originally suggested that the Cessna had been tampered with wasn’t in fact the case. It had indeed been mechanical failure that had caused the crash, not sabotage or pilot error. 

It went without saying that Ben, and at least Ben Sr., had been greatly relieved, although Jim did speculate as to how Daniel’s widow and youngest son had received the information. Not that he cared, though, because as far as he was concerned, he was more than satisfied that Ben had cut his ties with everyone in that family but his grandfather. 

As he had wanted, Ben had taken only what he had agreed to take of his father’s bequest, and had nothing more to do with either the family business or charitable Foundation. However, he no longer felt guilty about his decision, since his grandfather had informed him, with no small hint of grim satisfaction, that he had ensured that both institutions would continue successfully without the input of either Suzanne or Blake. 

Jim smiled to himself at that, recalling that telephone conversation with sentinel accuracy. It had come just a few weeks after the funeral, and after the changes to Daniel’s Will had been implemented. Ben had confessed to Jim that, although he knew it was the right thing to do, he still worried about leaving his grandfather with a difficult decision to make. Therefore, when the call had come in, Jim listened in at Ben’s request, realising that the information would hopefully take a weight off his beloved guide’s mind. 

“Hello, Grandfather, it’s good to hear from you. Are you OK?” 

“Yes, Ben, I am, and I have some news for you that should please you. I know you’ve been worried for me, and I appreciate it, but now there’s no need for you to feel guilty anymore about your choices. 

“Do you remember your Uncle Cuthbert at all? My deceased sister’s boy?” 

“Um, I think so, Grandfather. But it’s been a long time since I saw him. I must have only been about five or six? Didn’t Great Aunt Martha move to New York years ago?” 

“That’s right, Ben. She married a successful stockbroker, Bernard Hutchinson, and Cuthbert Francis-Hutchinson is their only son. 

“Anyhow, long story short, my boy, my nephew is a successful businessman in his own right, and when I contacted him with my proposal, he was happy to accept. He has now taken over as CEO of the family company and also as the administrator of the Francis Charitable Foundation in return for a significant package of stocks and shares, which gives him a stake second only in size to mine. 

“So you can set your mind at rest that the company will remain in good hands, Ben, and I can assure you that your brother and my daughter-in-law are out of the picture.” 

As Jim recalled, it had indeed been a great relief to Ben, and when he held his guide in his arms that night after making exquisite love to him and taking him for the first time to their mutual satisfaction; Ben had quietly confessed that he felt as if he was now truly free to love his sentinel as he was meant to, and to be what he was meant to be. 

In fact, the only material tie Ben now had with his past life, apart from his relationship with his grandfather, was his old horse, Monty. Jim’s grin widened as he remembered his lover’s almost defensive declaration that he wasn’t going to part with his old four-legged friend. 

“I know it’s probably a bit hypocritical of me to still keep a horse at the Country Club after severing my ties with my family and family fortune, but you have to understand, Jim, that Monty means a lot to me, and I swore to myself that I would never sell him, but would keep him in the manner he deserves.” 

He had been more than relieved when, far from mocking him or calling his decision into question, Jim had simply agreed with him, having seen for himself the close connection between man and beast. In Jim’s opinion, Monty had probably provided the young Ben with more genuine companionship than any of his human family, and if for no other reason, deserved to live out his life in the lap of equine luxury. 

Rousing from his brief but satisfying reverie, Jim glanced at his watch, faintly surprised at how long he and Ben had been out. Naomi and Mia would be expecting them back soon so they could go out for a last meal together before Jim and Ben / Blair returned to Cascade in the morning. 

However, just before he gently wakened his sleeping partner, Jim paused for one more comforting thought as he smiled fondly down at the peaceful profile. Dr Benjamin Blair Sandburg-Francis was indeed a unique and delightfully complex individual. Created during a single moment of passion between two passing strangers, he had grown into the fine young man that Naomi had hoped he would become almost despite his environment; his reward being to find true love in the arms of the sentinel who adored him, and in the eyes of his birth mother who had been deprived of his presence for too long. 

A ‘Love Child’ indeed, but a truly beloved one.   


**The End**


End file.
